Slow Dance to this Romance
by Halawen
Summary: Clare Edwards is from a life of privilege & wealth, her life is no fairy tale she's been blind since birth & her controlling mother keeps her hidden & made to feel useless. Owen is from a middle class family, attends DeGrassi, has many & a cheerleader girlfriend. He also just got a job on the Edwards estate, what happens when their worlds collide? 100% A/U story.
1. All My Life Waiting for Somebody

**Legal: I do not own DeGrassi nor am I associated with it in any way and wouldn't want to be at this point.**

**This story is dedicated to RED2012 for suggesting the idea!**

**Important things to know before reading:**

***This story is 100% A/U**

***Clare is 15, from and extremely wealthy family and she's been blind since birth. **

***I am not blind (obviously) nor do I know anyone who is blind so it's all guessing on my part and what I imagine being blind to be like.**

***Owen is 17 a junior at DeGrassi and from a lower middle class family but he's fairly popular and while he used to be a bit of a bully he was never a jerk or homophobic.**

***Drew and Adam have gone to DeGrassi since each was a freshman. Everyone knows Adam is FTM already.**

**That should pretty much do it the rest will be in the story.**

**Ch.1 All My Life Waiting for Somebody**

**(OWEN)**

"I gotta run, have to get to my job interview," I comment as I walk out of school Friday afternoon with my friends and my arm around my girlfriend.

"Yeah at the Edwards estate, are they going to make you wear a uniform," Drew teases.

"To take care of horses I doubt it just t-shirts and jeans," I reply.

"I bet you'd look hot in cowboy boots," my girlfriend Anya grins kissing me softly.

"I really have to go my interview is in forty minutes, see you guys tomorrow," I say waving to Drew, Adam, Bianca and Fitz then kissing Anya again. I walk to my car, getting in and pulling out of the parking lot.

The Edwards estate is actually thirty minutes away in Oakville, the reason I'm traveling so far for a job is that it's a few evenings a week and the weekends. I'll be working with horses which I have a lot of experience with and the pay can't be beat, assuming I get the job of course. I'm just going to an interview with the stable master and I was hoping I would get the job because it would be perfect and I wanted to start saving for college, living expenses in particular but I want to travel too. I make the drive and find the massive estate. After being buzzed in at the gate I follow the winding driveway to the front of the house. The sprawling mansion looks like Cinderella's castle at Disneyworld to me but about a million times bigger. I ring the bell and hear it echo in the estate, the door opens a moment later and a butler, in a suit and everything, opens the door.

"You are Mr. Milligan I presume; Charles the stable master will be conducting your interview in the stables. Follow the garden path to the dreadful smell of the horses," the butler tells me and then closes the door in my face.

"Friendly," I mutter as I start walking down the path, I see the stables at the bottom of the hill. The gardens are immaculate and huge; the stables alone look like they could nearly hold my entire house inside. "Hello," I call into the stables looking at all of the stalls and the few horses I can see.

"Are you Owen?" A voice asks and then a guy comes around the corner. He's husky, about an inch shorter than me, clean shaven with longer light brown hair. He wears jeans, boots and a long sleeve plaid shirt, along with gloves.

"Yes you must be Charles," I nod walking over and extending my hand.

"Charlie is fine, only Niels the butler and Madam Edwards call me Charles," he informs me taking off his glove to shake my hand.

"Madam Edwards?" I question.

"The lady of the house, she prefers to be called Madam but she never goes riding or even comes to the stables so you will probably never meet her, if I give the job of course. According to your resume you've been around horses since you were four?" Charlie asks me.

"Yes Sir took my first riding lesson at four; my aunt and uncle in Gold Bridge B.C. own a ranch. I spent every summer out there from the time I was seven to fourteen. My family and I go riding a lot; trail riding is about the only thing that my whole family likes," I tell him.

"Good, let's see how the horses like you; know how to clean the hooves?" Charlie questions and I nod. "Okay everything you need is in the tack room out back," he tells me. I follow him to the tack room getting a leather apron, and a grab a pick, trimmers, hoof knife and rasp. "This is Lollipop," Charlie says taking me into the stall of a French Trotter horse.

"Hi Lollipop," I introduce myself to the horse putting out my hand and petting his muzzle.

I set down the tools, and put on the apron letting the horse get comfortable with me and when he is he lets me clean out his hoof. I get out the dirt and trim the hoof, check the shoes, then repeat the process for all four legs.

"Good job, if you can handle Lollipop then you can handle the other horses here. You're hired, you can start tomorrow but I have some forms for you to fill out," he says. I follow him back to a little office by the tack room, he has me sit at a desk and I fill out a few forms.

"So if Madam Edwards doesn't go riding then why all the horses?" I inquire when I'm done.

"The horses are her parents, her mother passed away but her father still rides on occasion; most of them are breeders or racers however. You will address Madam's father as Sir or Master Alfred, he is nothing like his daughter he can saddle his own horse and prefers to do it all himself, let him address you before you say anything. Madam's daughter goes riding quite often, you will address her as Miss Clare," Charlie informs me but doesn't say anything else about her.

"Okay," I nod.

"You'll come tomorrow morning, be here by nine and dress in clothes that can get dirty," Charlie tells me.

I leave the stables and walk back to my car driving home, it's kind of a long ride home but it gives me time to think. When I get home I tell my parents I got the job and they're happy, tell me that they're proud of me and stuff. I call Anya to tell her I got the job but get her voicemail and then I take a shower. I eat dinner in my room since my families already eaten, then I l play video games until Anya calls me back.

"Hey Baby congrats on the job, so you'll have lots of money to take me places me now," she giggles.

"Anya are you high?" I question hearing it in her voice.

She used to be really straight laced, even kind of a nerd but recently she's been clubbing and getting high. Everyone thought I was crazy for going after Anya, aside from the fact that she's a cheerleader and I'm on the football team we had nothing in common, we don't even have any of the same friends. She's a year older than me and we really share no interests other than each other. We've been dating since October; right after Thanksgiving and next weekend will be our two month anniversary.

"I went with Chloe to Mercury Club, we had some fun it's Friday night and I was without you. You can't be mad at me for going out, especially when you were out doing other things," Anya responds.

"I was at a job interview Anya, you can go out but stop getting high, even I was never that stupid. When you're high you're not thinking and I'll bet you were dancing with other guys," I respond feeling my teeth grind.

"So I danced a little, it meant nothing Baby. You want me to come over and show you how much I care about you?" Anya coos but it doesn't sound attractive when she's high.

"No I don't I have to get to work by nine tomorrow and it's a 30 minute drive, I'll talk to you tomorrow," I tell her.

"Owen Baby don't be mad, I just wanted to have some fun," Anya says.

"Yeah talk to you tomorrow," I reply and hang up.

Switching off the game console I watch TV for another hour and then get to bed. My alarm wakes me up at seven; I get up and eat breakfast, dressing in boots, jeans, a long sleeve shirt and my thick winter coat since it's snowing this morning. Mom makes me a big breakfast and I eat all of it while she packs me a lunch, I have no idea when I'll get a lunch break. I spend most of my drive to work thinking about me and Anya, I park my car and walk down to the stables. Charlie says he's taking one of the horses out and gives me a list of things to do that day. I work for a couple of hours, first feeding all the horses and then cleaning hooves and then mucking out the stalls. I'm still doing that when I hear someone calling into the stables.

"Hello? Who's here?"

It's a teenage female voice; I come around the corner and see a girl of 15 or 16 in riding pants and boots, blouse, riding jacket and helmet. Very properly dressed to go riding, I didn't think people did that anymore. She's much too young to be Madam Edwards so she must be Clare. From the way Charlie talked I thought she was younger, ten or so but apparently not, because what is I see is a rather attractive girl that's about my age.

"I know you aren't Charlie I don't smell his after shave who are you?" She calls. I should be visible now but she doesn't seem to see me so I take some steps toward her.

"I'm Owen, Charlie hired me yesterday as the stable hand, you must be Miss Clare," I say extending my hand to her but she doesn't take it, she doesn't even seem to see me. "Are you blind?" I question because Charlie said nothing about Clare being blind.

"Yes and it's just Clare, only the house staff calls me Miss and only because my mother insists on it. Can I see you?" She requests and I pinch my eyebrows together.

"I thought you just said you were blind?" I query and she giggles softly.

"I am, if you'll let me feel your face I can form a picture of you in my mind, it's how I see things," she tells me.

"Oh uh sure okay," I shrug.

She reaches her hand up somewhat slowly, either to not startle me or just to find my face I'm not sure. She finds my face and reaches up her other hand, starting with my cheeks she feels around my face, gently feeling over my features, I only close my eyes when her soft fingers approach. After a minute she pulls her hands away and smiles, it's a very sweet smile that lights her face making her bright blue eyes sparkle.

"Thank you, you're very handsome," she says and I get a proud smile on my lips.

"Thanks, I always thought so. How old are you? Charlie didn't tell me much about you or your family," I comment.

"Fifteen, I'll be sixteen in February, how old are you?" She questions.

"I just turned seventeen three weeks ago, my friends and girlfriend threw me this great surprise party," I tell her with a smile as I remember the party.

"What's it like?" She inquires.

"What's what like?" I question back.

"All of it, going to school, having friends, a relationship?" She asks.

My mouth drops open, not that she can see me, I'm shocked by what I hear, her family has more money than most people will ever see but Clare's never had friends or been to school!?

"You mean you've never been to school or had any friends?" I inquire.

"Mother doesn't allow me off the estate grounds hardly at all, we go to a Christmas gala every year but that's it. We used to go to the winter house in Naples, I love it there," she tells me with a sentimental smile. "It's so different there, the smell of the salt air, the feel of the marble and limestone in our villa. You can taste the olives as they're freshly pressed into olive oil, it wafts through the air and there is nothing like freshly made pasta and marinara sauce they practically melt on your tongue. The way my shoes click on the cobblestone streets is musical," she says with a happy and yet sad smile.

"From the way you describe it I feel like I've been there, how come you don't go anymore?" I query.

She looks down and walks to a horse stall, it's a Ranger Breed, black everything but the rump which is white with black spots. The name on the stall says Storm, the horse puts its head down to greet Clare, it must be her horse the way it nuzzles her.

"When Grandmother became sick we stopped going, Mother would let me walk around Naples with my grandparents and we could go out on the boat, we even sailed to Greece one year," Clare smiles petting the horse.

"What about school? Why haven't you ever been to school?" I ask her.

"Mother says I don't need to go, she says I don't need to go because I'm blind and useless," Clare responds.

"You're mother told you that you're useless?!" I exclaim aghast.

"I'm blind, she says there's no reason for me to be educated and that this deformity will keep me from every doing anything. So I don't need to go to school and she hides me away because I'm ugly," Clare informs me.

"Your Mom is a crazy bitch Clare, you are not ugly you're cute, pretty actually very pretty. Being blind isn't a deformity it's a disability but blind people can do practically anything these days. Haven't you ever read a book in braille or anything?" I question.

"No, Mother won't let me learn braille; she says there's no point because I'll never become anything. I'm not an idiot though I listen to the radio and television, Grandfather and some of the house staff sneak me audio books. I do know things and I hunger to learn all I can but Mother doesn't allow it, she insists there's no point. My grandmother used to read me stories, all kinds of things, I could disappear into the story," Clare tells me.

I'm just dumbfounded, how could her mom call her ugly and keep her from being educated, she's blind not brain dead and she's in no way ugly. All the money they have they could provide Clare with every braille book in the universe, teach her to write and everything. Hire her tutors or send her to a private school for the blind, I'm sure they exist. Yet from what Clare just told me her mom treats her like the elephant man, like she's a deformed freak of nature that should be locked away in a tower.

"What about your father?" I question but then realize it's probably a stupid one since Charlie said nothing about her father only her grandfather.

"I never knew him, Mother says he was a terrible person and I'm blind because of it," Clare answers sounding very sad and now I feel awful for ever bringing it up. "Tell me about your school? What's it like? Do you have many friends?" She asks.

"It's just a normal high school, lots of drama. I'm on the football team but the season's over so I could take this job. I guess I have a lot of friends, I have a few very close friends they're great, been friends with them forever. They're all my best friends I guess and there's my girlfriend Anya, we don't have any of the same friends and she's a popular cheerleader," I'm saying when Clare speaks.

"She must be beautiful," Clare remarks.

"Yeah she is," I nod but don't feel like talking about Anya anymore, besides I have to get back to work. "I take it you were going riding? Should I saddle your horse?"

"No I can saddle Storm if you'll grab what I need from the tack room and put it on the rail. My saddle blanket is purple, or so Charlie tells me and the saddle is marked with my name," she responds.

"I'll go grab them, can you ride by yourself?" I inquire.

"Yes, Storm knows every inch of this property and he's my eyes," Clare smiles.

I grin and walk to the tack room; I find Clare's saddle blanket, saddle, bridle and halter. I take them to Clare and put them on the rail, she asks me to get the horse's boots so I go back to the tack room. I put on the boots while she saddles up Storm, I watch her intently, if you didn't know she was blind you couldn't tell. She saddles the horse better than most people that can see, how can her mother treat her like she's a deformed and helpless she's neither of those things. Clare gets on Storm and I open the stall door, she smiles at me and walks the horse out. I watch them trot through the few inches of snow and then take off in a gallop, she looks like she's flying and she looks incredibly happy.

She disappears down the hill and I get back to work, I work for three hours before I see Clare again. It's almost dark and nearly time for me to go home, she comes riding in and dismounts. She turns her head and smiles in my direction as she starts walking Storm to his stall.

"How'd you know I was here?" I query.

"I can smell your deodorant, even under the horse smell. Without my eyes my other senses paint the world for me," she says.

I smile and follow her to the stall helping her get the rest of the saddle and tack off of Storm. I take them back to the tack room and grab the grooming brushes. I bring them back, Clare is patting the horse and I tell her I'll brush Storm for her. She smiles and walks out of the stall; I watch her greeting the other horses.

"Do you know them all? Don't tell me they have different scents," I remark as I finish brushing Storm.

"No but we've had most of these horses all my life, I know which stalls they're in. Storm is mine, he was a gift from my grandparents on my sixth birthday and we got him when he was just a one year old foal. The rest are my grandfather's, my mother doesn't ride she detests horses but it's how my family made their fortune, breeding and racing horses. This is Powder Keg," she tells me walking down a couple stalls to a black thoroughbred, "he's our best champion. He won seven races last year and took the triple crown."

"Wow that's impressive," I smile patting the horse.

"He's going to retire after this year, Sundowner is a champion too but I love Powder Keg he's such a strong horse," Clare says climbing up the rails on the stall door. She strokes his muzzle and kisses him, she starts to climb down but I take her by the waist and help her down.

"Just who the hell are you and what are you doing with your hands on my daughter?!"

The shrill voice of an older woman startles me; I release Clare and look up. The woman is skinny; she has short brown hair cut to her jaw, perfectly parted down the middle and not a hair of out place. She wears heels despite having to trudge through the snow to get to the stables. She has on a long teal colored dress that is peaking out of her fox fur coat. She looks more dressed to be going to an opera than walking through her yard to the stables, presumably to find her daughter.

"This is Owen; Charlie hired him as a stable hand. He was helping me off the door that's all," Clare informs her mother but I can tell by her voice she's afraid of her mom, not that I can blame her.

"Bring out the tack and put it away for my daughter but otherwise stay away from her," Helen snaps at me grabbing Clare by the hand she violently tugs her toward the stable door.

Clare turns her head as she's being roughly dragged away, I could almost swear she can see as he looks straight at me. She has an apologetic look on her face, she also looks slightly scared. I'm just shocked but it's not like Clare can see my face anyway. I don't know how her mom could treat her the way she does, Clare's a nice girl and while I've never known another blind person I know she can do more than be locked away and hidden from the world.

They vanish from sight and I finish my work, Charlie returns just as I'm ready to leave and he says he'll see me tomorrow. I almost ask him about the way Helen treats Clare but I decide not to and just drive home. My family isn't home but Mom left dinner for me and I eat in my room but I can't stop thinking about Clare and her mom.

**(CLARE)**

My fingers brush over the cold of our dining room table while we wait to be served. After mother dragged me from the stables she told me to change for dinner. Now I sit in the middle of one side of our large dining table in my place, I wear heels now, tights and a long sleeve dress, that I'm told is green but as I've never seen the color green I don't know what that's like.

"Clare sit up," Mother admonishes from her end of the table.

I once walked around our dining room table counting all the chairs, twelve people can sit around our table including one on each end. Twelve people can fit, we eat every meal here and yet only three of us dine at the table since Grandma died. Mom sits at the head and Grandfather all the way down from her at the other end; I sit in the middle chair on the side that's closest to the kitchen. We rarely talk and you almost have to yell for other people to hear you.

"Father were you aware that Charles hired a new stable boy?" Mom asks and then I hear her sip at her wine.

"Stable hand Mother this is not the 1800's," I correct her.

"No one was speaking to you Clare," she snaps at me.

"We have ten horses Dear and I'm looking at buying two more Charles needs the help I'm surprised he waited so long. I approved it; you never go to the stables how did you find out?" Grandfather inquires.

"Francis told me Clare went for a ride and when she wasn't back in time to dress for dinner I went looking for her," Mom is saying but stops talking when the kitchen door opens and the kitchen staff begins to bring out our first course.

Mother never talks around the staff she doesn't want them to know our business; she doesn't realize they know everything anyway. Our first course is tomato basil bisque and fresh sourdough bread, I can smell it when they set it in front of me, the sweet soft smell of the hot bread, the sweet basil, tangy tomato and heavy cream in the soup. I hear the kitchen door again, Mother waits a few seconds and I take a bite of the soup.

"I went into the stables and found that boy with his hands all over her," Mother says in venomous tone.

"He was helping me down Mother that was it, he's very sweet," I speak up with a firmer tone.

"Stay away from him Clare, people are cruel I've done my best to shield you from it. They see an ugly, crippled, deformed girl like you and they make fun of you, be mean to you simply because they can. Don't think that he hasn't gone home and told all his friends about the pathetic blind girl, you just keep away from him," Mother orders in an angry cold voice.

After that there's no more dinner talk, there seldom is but I spend my dinner thinking about Owen. He was sweet to me, he told me I was pretty and encouraged me that I could do almost anything. No one's ever done that before or treated me that way before, my grandparents and the staff are kind to me but all of them are much too afraid of my mother to do anymore. Even if Owen goes home and talks about me unkindly he was more kind to me than anyone has ever been.

I even dream of him that night and I wake up happy, after breakfast I intend to go riding again but Mother prevents it. She keeps me in the house not letting me from her sight and tells me Owen is a lower class boy and he'll only hurt me. She tells me so all day and I've always took everything Mother told me as truth but not this time, in spite of all she says I know Owen is a good guy and maybe he is right and she's wrong. I've spent my whole life believing everything she told me but now I'm beginning to question it all.

**(OWEN)**

I didn't see Clare at all on Sunday, I did try to ask Charlie about Clare and Helen but he told me it's better to just stay out of the family drama and do my job. Today is Monday and I pick up Anya to drive us both to school, she came over last night apologizing again for going out and we made up and then had makeup sex which was my favorite part.

"I have to get to cheerleading practice I'll see you at lunch," Anya says kissing my cheek and skipping up the stairs.

Holly J glares at me as she greets Anya, we've been dating two months and Holly J still stares at me like I'm the devil. I'm not even sure why she hates me other than I used to be a bit of a bully.

"So how was your first day?" Drew questions walking up with his younger brother Adam.

Drew and Adam Torres are the only two brothers I've seen that are as vastly different as me and Tris. Adam's only a year younger than Drew but he's a cool guy, I couldn't believe it when I found out he was FTM but Tris is gay so I just shrugged and said cool.

"Good, the family's kind of weird though," I reply.

"All people with money, especially old money, are weird," Adam remarks.

"I haven't met the grandfather yet but the Mom is a real bitch. Clare, the daughter, she's sweet though, I feel bad for her. She's blind and the mom treats it like it's some terrible deformity. She doesn't let Clare off the grounds, hasn't let her go to school or even have friends. She tells Clare that because she's blind she'll never be able to do anything. She's kept poor girl locked away in a gilded prison, she's even told Clare that she's ugly," I inform them.

"Is she?" Drew asks earning him a smack from his brother.

"That's child abuse she can't do that, you can't keep a child from getting an education and not letting them socialize," Adam speaks up.

"Yeah I know but I don't know what to do about it, the family has a ton of money and the staff must know how Clare is treated. If I see her this afternoon I'll ask her and she's not ugly she's very pretty actually," I tell them.

"Yeah how old is she?" Drew questions.

"Fifteen, she'll be sixteen in a couple of months but you have a girlfriend," I respond.

"I was thinking of Adam, a girl who can't see could be just what he needs," Drew teases.

Adam growls and chases after his brother, I laugh and go to my locker, Fitz and Bianca are at their lockers. They ask about my job too and I tell them the same thing, they say pretty much the same thing as Drew and Adam. The morning goes by pretty quickly and I meet Anya for lunch, we eat alone in the memorial garden since we don't have the same friends. As soon as afternoon classes are done I change my clothes, kiss Anya goodbye and head to work.

"Afternoon Owen, Miss Clare is out for a ride and should be returning in an hour or two. I'm going to take two of the horses down to the corral, I'll be back this evening by the time you're off," Charlie says and I nod.

He has a list of things for me to do and I get to work, after about an hour Clare comes riding in. She smiles when she's in the stables and turns her head to me, I still can't get over that I could swear she could see me.

"Owen, I was hoping you were working today," she says stopping storm and dismounting.

"I was here all day yesterday and never saw you," I comment taking the reins from her.

"Sorry my mom wouldn't let go riding or out of her sight at all for that matter. She told me you were bad, that you would tell all your friends how ugly and deformed I am," Clare tells me.

"You are neither ugly nor deformed, your mother is crazy. I did tell my friends about you though, I told them that you're sweet and very pretty," I enlighten her and she smiles. "I also told them that I don't like the way your mother treats you. Keeping you locked up and from getting an education is child abuse, you should call Children's Aide," I assert.

"What's Children's Aide?" She asks getting Storm back in the stall. I tie the bridle and start taking off the saddle.

"An organization that helps abused and neglected children," I reply setting the saddle down and taking off Storms blanket.

"Even if I knew how to work a phone it wouldn't do any good. The house staff, even my grandfather knows what Mother is like, they are too afraid of her to do anything. They wouldn't dare say a word against her; if anyone comes to the house they wouldn't see me as an abused child. I have expensive clothes, the finest fashions from all over the world. I have my own horse; I'm a blind bird in a marble and stone cage. Mother will tell them I'm educated at home, give them some reason that I don't have friends and they'll leave. There's nothing you can do and even if you did I have nowhere to go. Who's going to take in a blind girl? I can't do anything with my life because I'm blind, I'll have to live here with mother," Clare tells me in a sad tone as I take the horses boots off.

"Your Mom told you that didn't she? She's lying Clare, blind people can do lots of things and they lead independent lives. You don't have to stay here under your mother's rule, you are worth so much more than she's made you to believe," I beseech her.

"I've never known any other life, I've never had friends or anyone tell me different from Mother," Clare says.

"Because she's never let you, she keeps you locked away and won't let you have friends but I'd like to be your friend, if you'll let me," I offer.

"I'd like that but my mother told me to stay away from you," Clare says and bites her lip.

"Then she won't find out, part of my job is take the horses out I can go riding with you," I tell her.

"That would be nice, can we go tomorrow? Will you tell me all about your school and your friends and the world outside my house?" Clare asks me.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know," I reply and she smiles. "I'll go get the brushes to brush him down," I tell her and turn to walk out of the stall but she catches my shirt and I look back at her.

"Owen I'm really glad you came to work here," she says.

"So am I Clare," I grin back, "maybe one day I can sneak you out of here and show you Toronto, in a manner of speaking."

**Update Wednesday December 10****th**** starting probably the next day with their ride.**


	2. Colors

**Happy Birthday Dolley!**

**We had our office Christmas party tonight (yes in the middle of the week don't ask me why) so the chapters a little on the short side.**

**Ch. 2 Colors**

**(OWEN)**

"Are you ready to go riding?" I ask Clare when I see her come in the stables.

"Yes I've been looking forward to it all day, mother is in one of her moods and she's moping through the house. Can you get my tack?" Clare requests.

"Already did, it's on the stall door," I tell her and she smiles.

I watch her walk to the stall, open the door and close it again, she feels for the tack and finds the bridal first. It amazes me that she knows just where the horse is without her sight. She gets the bridal on then the saddle blanket and saddle, I help her get the boots on. She waits patiently while I saddle Powder Keg and then we start riding; there was a lot of snow last night. It doesn't bother the horses and we're both dressed warm, at first the horses just walk through the snow. Then Clare kicks her horse and it takes off at a run, galloping through the snow and into the trees. I kick Powder Keg and follow her, it's a good thing Powder Keg is so fast because Clare and Storm know this terrain and they are quick. There's a few times when I almost lose her, I know people that can see and not ride that well. I find her stopped in a clearing, there's a little tiny creek at the end and a gazebo near the creek. Clare walks her horse to the edge of the creek and ties him to the hitching post, I follow her lead. She stops a minute and begins walking slowly to the gazebo feeling her way through the air. I'm sure she can find her way but after I tie up Powder Keg I run over and take her arm. She smiles and we walk to the gazebo, when we're in I see that blinds can be opened; there's a bench and pillows and blankets.

"What is this place?" I ask her as I begin opening the shutters so we, I mean I can see the creek.

"It's where I escape, when I was little my grandmother used to read to me, when I was five one of my favorites was The Secret Garden. I always wanted to escape the house, I hate that house, my mother's reign over it like a terrible queen and how very afraid everyone was of her. I could wander the grounds of course but Mother didn't like me to do it alone so I learned to ride and Grandpa showed me this place, the creek, the break in the trees, in the spring this whole place is filled with wild flowers. This is where Storm and I always come, I know all the grounds by heart and I'll ride through them but we always end up here. Grandpa had two of the servants build this for me without Mother knowing, she never walks the grounds. This, this is my place," she tells me and I feel privileged that she brought me here and showed it to me. All the blinds and shutters are open now, the gazebo's colder but she's sitting on the bench under a blanket and I sit next to her taking the other blanket.

"I brought something for you," I tell her taking my backpack off. If she could see she's probably have asked why I was wearing my backpack. "Hold out your hand," I say and she puts her hands out so I place the book in it.

"It's a book, a long flat book, the ones Grandma used to read me were thick," Clare remarks opening the cover, she puts her hand flat to feel over the page and then she smiles. "It's braille but I don't know how to read braille," she comments.

"It's a kid's book, just the alphabet and some simple words but you gotta start somewhere right? I thought we could learn together," I tell her.

"Owen this is incredible I could kiss you," Clare grins and I almost say she should kiss me but I keep my mouth shut. "Mother told me braille would be useless to learn, she'll take the book if she find it," Clare says as the smile drops from her face.

"Then we'll hide it in here and she'll never know, your mother doesn't know anything," I reply.

"Here," I say taking her hand and putting her finger at the start, "that's an A."

The a is a single dot but Clare runs her finger over it again and again. We go through the alphabet twice and then the numbers twice. Clare smiles the whole time, it's like watching a new piece of her emerge and come to life. A piece with an eagerness to learn and that believes she's worthy of learning. She goes through the entire book and learns quickly, she's able to read all the shape names without my help and I don't even have to tell her many of the color names.

"Owen what's white like?" She asks putting the book down.

"Well it's bright and…" I pause, how do you describe white to someone who's never seen it? "It's the opposite of black, bright but just as much of a void color."

"And Red? What's red like?"

"Well it's a little more complicated than white, red can be dark or light. It's sexy, the color of love and passion and life, blood is red," I reply and see that she's biting her lip and her cheeks have flushed.

"Tell me about green now," she requests.

"Green is the color of nature, deep dark greens in the leaves of the trees and the plants, bright green in the grass and limes are bright green. It's peaceful and calming, the way you feel when you take a deep breath of fresh air."

"What's blue like?"

"Blue is serene, it's the color of water and the sky, the sky is usually a light very pale blue and the oceans and lake are a deep dark blue. In the evening the sky turns orange and pink as the sunsets and rivers in the mountains are a sparkling ethereal blue like your eyes," I reply and she blushes again. "It's usually associated with being sad, like the phrase I feel blue, and blues is a sad music, I don't know why there's nothing sad about your eyes and they're an amazing blue," I say and her cheeks go a deeper red as she blushes more.

"Purple I want to hear about purple," she tells me with an excitement in her voice.

"Purple is rich, it's red mixed with blue it's passion and serenity. It's mostly deep and dark; it's associated with wealth and power. Grapes and plums are purple, violets are a lighter purple, it's feminine and beautiful like you," I tell her and she blushes again.

"Yellow?"

"Bright and happy, the sun is yellow it's a warming color."

"Orange?"

"Juicy when it's bright and light like an orange or tangerine fruit, warm when it's the flames of a fire, or the late afternoon sun."

"I wish I could see all these colors," she says with a sad tone.

"How do you feel when you're riding?" I question.

"Free like I'm flying and nothing can touch me," she responds.

"That feeling you have when you ride that's the blue of the sky," I tell her and she smiles.

"I'm so glad you got hired Owen, my life will never be the same and I'm grateful for it," she grins and I grin back.

"Mine either it's a good feeling but I think we'd better get back it will be dark soon and I don't want your mother to come looking for you," I point out.

"Probably you'll have to close up the gazebo again, I wish you could stay. I wish you could come in the house and stay with me I always feel so much better when you're around. You can't though and I can't stay in the stables all day," she sighs.

"I'll be back tomorrow after school, we can go riding again," I assure her as I start closing up the gazebo.

"Owen," Clare says softly when the gazebo is closed up. She's standing on the top step and I'm on the bottom of three steps so we're about the same height currently.

"Yeah?"

She puts her hand on my shoulder and leans forward her lips softly touching my cheek, actually she get the corner of my mouth but as she can't see and didn't feel my face first that was pretty good aim. I smile and part of me wishes she had kissed my lips instead.

"Thanks for everything," she smiles and walks past me.

All I can do is smile and follow her out; we untie the horses and mount up, Clare rides a lot slower on the return. She rides in and dismounts walking Storm to his stall.

"I'll take care of Storm, it's part of my job anyway you should get inside," I tell her as I dismount Powder Keg.

"I can tack the tack off of Storm, I don't want to be inside you have no idea what that house is like. Dinner isn't until six and I know my way back to the house," she asserts.

"What if your mom comes out here again?" I ask.

"She won't and anyway if all we're doing is taking the tack off the horses she has nothing to be mad about," Clare responds as she starts taking the saddle from her horse.

Clare stays in the stables until just before six, she stays in Storm's stall and we're careful what we talk about in case her mother comes in. When she leaves to go inside I finish my duties getting home after ten. I eat while doing my homework shower and go to bed waking up early to get to practice.

"How was work yesterday?" Fitz asks when I join everyone at school.

"Good, Clare's awesome I wish you could meet her but her insane tyrannical mother won't let her off the grounds or anyone in," I reply.

"Too bad she's afraid to go to Children's Aide or just run," Drew comments.

"Yeah, I'm hoping I can still convince her but yesterday I brought her a braille book and she's learning. I'm learning with her, it's pretty cool," I smile thinking about telling Clare about colors yesterday.

We hang out until the bell rings and then go to our classes, I don't see Anya all morning and when I try calling her phone she doesn't answer. I don't even see her until lunch and only because she's in the alley behind The Dot and I hear her laughing. I

"I'll meet you guys inside," I say to my friends and look in the alley while they go in the café. Anya is sitting on the steps to Above the Dot club with Chloe and they're both high and in fact smoking a joint right now. "ANYA what the hell?!"

"Hey baby!" Anya giggles.

"You skipped school this morning to get high? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Oh come on you know you like it when I'm all loose, Chloe your hair is so curly," Anya says becoming fascinated with Chloe's hair.

"Anya you need to stop getting high, I don't even know how this started but you're not doing anything but get high recently. I can't be with you when you're like this, I'm not sure I want to be with you at all anymore," I growl and turn to walk away.

"Owen baby come on, Chloe has some more coke come smoke with us," Anya says running over and grabbing my arm.

"Coke you're doing coke! Why would you do coke and pot are you trying to kill yourself?! I'm not doing coke with you, I'm not doing drugs with you I barely smoked pot when I was doing nothing but hang in the ravine. I used to love you and right now I can't even remember why," I tell her and pull my arm away from her walking inside.

"So where's Anya?" Adam asks.

"Getting even higher with Chloe, I think we're done," I confess to my friends.

"That sucks," Dre says.

"You'd think it would but I'm not that upset."

**(CLARE)**

"Clare I brought you some new clothes," Mother tells me coming in my room Wednesday afternoon.

"Thank you Mother," I reply.

"Get up and try these on," Mom insists.

I sigh and stand up undressing but Mom dresses me in the new clothes. It always bothered me the way she did everything and insisted I could do so little but since Owen's come into my life it's downright insulting. I now know that I am not helpless and I can do so much more than Mother thinks me capable of. She puts the first dress on me, it has long sleeves and a skirt that goes to the knees, with buttons down the front.

"There that one is nice, mauve is a nice color on you," Mom says fixing the dress.

"What sort of color is mauve?" I inquire.

"What sort of a question is that? Mauve is mauve," Mom responds taking the dress off.

My whole life I wanted to know what colors were like but no one could ever explain them to me. Mother never tried and even my grandparents and the staff, who have always been nice to me, couldn't tell me. They'd always say things like it's hard to describe, or I can't tell you what green is like. Or they'd compare colors to other things like when I once asked Grandfather what color my hair was and he answered by telling me it's light brown and sometimes red but only in the sun, and it was a lighter brown than chestnut but darker than honey. None of that did me any good of course as I've never seen honey or chestnut or red or brown. Yet Owen was able to describe color to me in a way I understood, he didn't compare them to other colors he compared them to emotions and experiences. When he told me red was passion and love I could see it in my mind, no one has ever done that. Of course no one has ever cared enough to buy me a book that let's me learn to read braille either. Everyone, even my grandparents listens to my mother and treats me like I'm simple but not Owen.

"Oh dear pink is not a good color on you I'll have to take the blouse back," Mom comments without even putting the blouse on me. "Have you been sneaking snacks from the kitchen you're getting awfully big in the chest, I'll tell the cooks to cut down on your portions."

"I haven't been snacking Mom and this top is itchy," I tell her squirming against the itchy material.

"Oh Clare no it's not," Mom replies.

"Yes it is, you're not wearing it don't tell me it's not itchy you're not the one wearing it," I respond.

"Clare don't sass, a girl's place is to be seen and not heard now hold still so I can try the rest of these clothes on you," Mom says.

I sigh and Mom uses me like a dress up doll as she tries on the other clothes, making comments about the colors or materials. Finally she finishes and calls the maid in to hang my clothes and put them away. As soon as Mom is gone I go to my closet and find my riding clothes. I change and go down stairs, I tell my grandfather I'm going riding. He's in the study; I always know where Grandpa is because he smells like whiskey. When I walk out to the stables I can hear the horses. I know Owen isn't here yet but it doesn't matter I've always been happier around the horses. I don't hear Charlie and when I call for him he doesn't answer so he must be out with the horses. While waiting for Owen I spend time with each of the horses in the stables. Then I hear footsteps in the snow and as soon I smell his after shave I know it's Owen.

"Did you already go for a ride?" Owen asks.

"No I was waiting for you," I tell him.

"I'll grab your tack, I think I'll ride Lightening today, looks like Charlie took Sundowner," Owen says.

I hear him walk through the stables and out to the tack room, he returns a few minutes later with the tack and sets it on the stable door for me. When both the horses are ready we ride out, I race back to my spot with Owen right behind me. I stop as soon as I feel that we're in the clearing, I dismount and walk forward a few steps feeling for the hitching post. I tie Storm up and begin walking for the gazebo, Owen runs over offering me his arm when he has Lightening tied up. I sit on the bench while Owen opens blinds in the gazebo and then he gets out the braille book. I go through it all and memorize every letter, feeling each series of bumps, some of them I remember and other I have to ask Owen what the meaning is.

"I'll have to get you another book you're learning the alphabet fast," Owen comments.

"I love it, I've never read before but I feel the bumps and know their meaning I've never had this feeling before," I tell him.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you anything before?" Owen asks.

"My grandma read to me and grandpa taught me how to ride. The staff has been kind but too afraid of my mother to do anything. I taught myself most things or learned from audio books or the radio," I reply.

"Did you ever play when you little?" Owen questions.

"No I was never allowed to have friends, my grandparents were too old to play and the staff too afraid of Mother. Riding with Grandpa is the closest I ever came to playing I suppose. What did you like to play when you were little?" I ask.

"Tag, hockey, football, video games, sometimes I still play board games with my family sometimes," Owen replies.

"Have you ever been to dance?" I query.

"Yeah we have them at school all the time, we have one next week actually, I'm supposed to go with Anya but I think we're done," Owen admits and he sounds a little sad.

"I'm sorry," I respond but I'm kind of happy actually and I don't know why.

"Don't be she's not the girl I fell for, I don't even remember why I liked her. So why'd you ask about a dance?"

"I've never been to one, just the Christmas gala but I was never allowed to dance," I confess.

"So you've never danced, not even alone in your room?"

"When I was little Grandpa used to dance with me on his feet but we mostly just stepped side to side," I inform him. I hear Owen doing something and then music comes from out of nowhere. "There's music," I smile.

"From my phone, can I have this dance?" Owen questions taking my hand, I smile and stand up with him. He keeps hold of my hand puts my other on his shoulder, then he puts my hand on his waist. "Just follow my lead," Owen says and I feel him step back so I step forward.

We just do a simple step back and forth, side to side but I smile the whole time and when the song ends Owen spins me. I giggle and sit down as a faster song comes on. Owen turns the music off and sits next to me.

"I wish I could go to the dance with you," I comment quietly.

"I'd take you if your mother wouldn't have my head, literally," Owen replies.

"It's okay you've already done more for me than anyone else ever has."

We stay in the gazebo for a couple of hours but Owen does have a job to do so we ride back. After taking care of the horses I sit on the stable door to Storm's stall and we talk while he does his job.

"CLARE!" Mom calls for me.

"I'd better go are you working tomorrow?" I question hopefully.

"Yeah I'll be here but Friday night I have a game so I won't be, I'll be here all day Saturday though and we have winter break soon I'll be working all through break," Owen tells me.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow," I grin and walk out of the stables.

"Riding again? I don't like you hanging around that boy," Mother says grabbing my arm and pulling me to the house.

"Owen's nice and anyway the fact that I like riding has nothing to do with him Mother."

"Men only want one thing Clare, even from an ugly and deformed girl like you. They want to do horrible disgusting things to you and then impregnate you with their seed. They'll ruin your like with cursed children and run off. You stay away from that wretched boy, you can ride only when he's not working," Mom says and I feel my stomach tie in knots at this thought.

"Mom Owen is nice; he's my friend and I…"

SMACK she cuts me off with a slap across the face; I don't even move she does it frequently.

"Don't talk back to me Clare I know what's best for you, I'm only doing this because I care. No go change for dinner and no more associating with that boy it's beneath you. Take a shower first you smell like those dreadful horses," Mom orders.

I go upstairs to my room and start the water for a shower. I don't care what Mom says I know Owen is my friend and I won't stay away from him.

**Will Owen and Anya's relationship be saved? Will Clare still be able to see Owen? Will she ever get off the estate grounds? Find out in the next chapter which will be Monday!**


	3. Her Imagination Ran Wild

**Is everyone enjoying all the short story chapters? Be sure to check the daily clues on the DeGrassi Saviors website and the holiday schedule so you know what's coming.**

**Ch. 3 Her Imagination Ran Wild**

**(OWEN)**

"OWEN!" Anya squeals leaping onto me as soon as I get out of the car at school Wednesday morning. I catch her out of instinct and fall back into the driver's seat.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you high again?"

"No I'm not high I missed you," she replies and crushes her lips to mine.

"Anya stop," I assert pushing her away from me, "I don't want to go out with you anymore. We're through, you're getting high all the time and I don't want to be with you anymore."

"It's that crippled girl you work for isn't it? You're leaving me for her, I knew you were spending too much time there," Anya spits at me, literally spits at me and I have to wipe it from my face.

"She's not crippled she's blind, and I don't work for her I work on the grounds in the stables. I'm not breaking up with you because of her I'm breaking up with you because I don't like you anymore. Now get off of me," I insist getting up and forcing her off of me. I don't let her drop to the ground but I push her against the other car. I shut my door and lock my car leaving Anya to pout while I walk into school.

"Hey Owen," Fitz greets me from his locker when I get to mine.

"Hey I broke up with Anya for good," I tell him.

"Good, I know you had it bad for her but frankly I never got what you saw in her," Fitz says.

"Yeah I'm having trouble remembering why I liked her. Doesn't matter she's gone now," I shrug putting books in my locker.

I tell everyone else I broke up with Anya; of course her friends blame me, not that I care, never did like Anya's friends. After school I have practice and then I head to work, my shift is only a couple of hours, just long enough to feed the horses and brush them, and muck out the stalls.

"I thought you'd never get here," Clare's voice from the darkness makes me jump and then she emerges from Storm's stall.

"Geez don't scare me like that," I scold her.

"Sorry I just didn't know when you'd get here, I've been waiting for a long time. I kept asking the house staff what time it was, they started to get suspicious so I finally just had to come out to the stables," she explains climbing over the stable door.

"Didn't think about that, I'll tell you my schedule from now on," I tell her and she smiles. "Wait here I need to feed the horses," I command and she leans against Storm's stall door, he puts his head down and nuzzles her. I go to the hay loft and use the wheelbarrow to bring enough feed and hay for all the horses, then return to the stables and begin feeding them. "Were you waiting for me all day?"

"Your visits are the best thing in my day. Mother says I should stay away from you, she says you're only after one thing. That men only want one thing from girls even horribly deformed and ugly girls like me, she told me that you want to impregnate me with your vile seed," Clare comments.

"Oh your mother thinks I only talk you because I want to have sex with you," I reply with a roll of my eyes and huff of disgust for her mother.

"What's sex?" Clare asks and I look at her with my eyebrows pinched together in shock, not that she can see my expression and her face has a perfectly innocent inquisitive expression.

"Fuck you really have been sheltered, then again your mother has kept you uneducated and cloistered away so I shouldn't be surprised. Sex is something two people do when they're in love, no that sounds too much like the school lecture. When well two people are in love they make love, which is like sex but it means more. Sex, just sex, can happen between two horny people but it doesn't mean as much and usually leads to problems. It's umm…it's like kissing but with your whole body, it's the most amazing thing you'll ever experience," I explain very awkwardly.

"Have you had sex?" She asks.

"Yeah with Anya," I reply as I finish getting the feed out.

"Oh," Clare says quietly.

"I broke up with Anya this morning, for good," I inform Clare although I'm not sure why I felt the necessity to add that bit.

"What's horny mean?" Clare inquires.

"_Oh boy she's never been told anything, she's sixteen and for all the stuff she taught herself none of it ever explained the basics. Then again I don't suppose there's a book on tape for sex education," _I think to myself before I answer.

"It's a feeling you get, sort of in your stomach sometime but mostly between your legs, like a tickle sort of. It means you're turned on," I inform her.

"Oh," she replies in a way I know she's felt it before, not that I'm surprised she is a sixteen year old girl. "Tell me about your school, what are your friends like?"

"Hang on I have to take the wheelbarrow back and get the brushes, don't move I'll be right back," I assure Clare and she nods. I return the wheelbarrow and gather everything I need to groom the horses. "Okay my friends, well there's Adam. He's a cool guy he's had a tough time because he's different."

"Like me?" Clare asks before I can continue.

"Kind of, he's transgender," I tell her.

"What's that?" She asks.

"Right don't suppose there were any transgender characters in those books on tape either," I comment in a deeply sardonic and slightly annoyed tone, and then realize it was out loud and feel very dumb. I look back at Clare and see that her cheeks are red and she's biting her lip, I feel so stupid and so bad. "Sorry I didn't mean that, sometimes I talk without thinking. I just forget how naïve you are because of how sheltered you've been, it's not your fault. You know a lot things but your audiobooks and the radio can't teach you everything. Transgender means…see Adam's a guy but he was born in a girl's body."

Now Clare pinches her eyebrows together in a great look of confusion. I can only imagine what she's picturing in her mind. All she's ever known is her mansion, her mother, grandparents and the help. I doubt she ever met a transgender before, I doubt there were any in Naples, and if there were I doubt her mother let them near Clare.

"How?" She asks slowly.

"He was born as a girl but he just always knew he was a boy he just has the body of a girl. You wouldn't know it to look at him or even spend time with him. He dresses like a boy, looks like one, acts like one, thinks like one he's just got the wrong parts. There are things he can do but not until he's older. Some people think it's wrong or weird or that he's a freak, none of it is true but they've given him a hard time and even beat him up and things like that."

"That's awful that people can be so cruel just because he's different. Mother always tells me the world is a terrible place is that why she keeps me sheltered?"

"No she keeps you sheltered because she's a controlling bitch. Adam's been through a lot but he's a great guy and he never lets it get him down. He's a talented musician and he's really smart, he deflects most people's insults and bad attitudes with humor," I tell Clare.

"He sounds great I wish I could meet him. Tell me more what are your other friends like I want to hear about everyone," she says.

While I finish brushing the horses I tell her about Drew, Bianca, Fitz and even some of the guys on my hockey and football teams. Then while mucking out the stalls I tell her all about football and promise to tell her about hockey on Saturday.

"I have my game tomorrow so I won't be here but I'll be here on Saturday at ten in the morning. Right now I have to get home I wreak of horse crap from mucking the stalls," I comment and she giggles.

"I'll be here Saturday morning then, as close to ten as I can. I should get inside anyway before Mother notices I'm missing," she says and begins walking out of the stalls before turning back to me, "goodnight Owen."

"Goodnight Clare," I smile.

I watch her leave and clean up then go home, I shower first and then eat while doing my homework. Crashing into my bed a little after two and then waking up at six so I can get to morning practice. I don't eat until after practice, grabbing breakfast from The Dot on my way to school.

"Dude you look exhausted," Drew comments when he sees me.

"Yeah I stayed at work late talking to Clare, then I had homework, had to get up for practice, I'll nap in science," I reply.

"So the job is going good then?" Adam inquires.

"Yeah great, I do wish Clare's mom wasn't such a bitch though. Clare's smart and she's taught herself stuff but she's been so sheltered and neglected she's really naïve at the same time. I had to explain colors to her because no one else ever bothered; they just told her they couldn't. She'd never been to a dance or danced, she didn't know what sex was, being horny or what a transgender person is," I tell them opening my locker.

"She's never been horny?" Fitz questions, he joined us while I was talking.

"You were talking about transgenders?" Adam asks.

"She's been horny she just didn't know what it was. She asked about you guys, she asks about everything, she's never really been out of that mansion," I reply.

"That sucks, I can't believe her mom doesn't let her out," Drew comments.

"She used to go to Italy but they stopped doing that, and they used to go to some Christmas gala but they stopped doing that too. I should get her a new braille book she's already read through the other one," I remark the last part mostly to myself.

"We can go at lunch, you talk about her so much I feel like I kind of know her," Adam says.

"Yeah too bad she's a prisoner I'd like to meet her," Drew adds.

"Yeah she said the same about you, her mother's like Hitler in mink but maybe I can find a way to sneak her out," I reply and begin to formulate a plan.

**(CLARE)**

It's a very dull day.

It's Friday afternoon, Grandfather says it's snowing again and it's very dull. The only thing that really makes it such a dull day is that I won't see Owen. This is precisely how I lived my life before he ever came into it, sequestered to the grounds, avoiding mother, passing my days by talking with the staff or Grandfather if he's not passed out drunk. Listening to audiobooks I've heard so many times I can recite them and say all the characters lines. Before Owen began working here I knew there was a world outside of mine, I knew it was there but I never dreamed I could be a part of it. Mother had told me all my life I would always live here, always be dependent upon her and never amount to anything because of my deformity. My grandparents and the staff while much kinder than mother never disputed her. There was a time, when I was very young, that my grandparents weren't so afraid and would try to encourage me. When Grandma became sick and Grandpa started drinking they stopped, they were still nice but I guess they didn't have the strength to argue with mother anymore.

I always had my freedom to wander the grounds and ride the horses, sometimes I would dream of riding Storm away from this place. I never did have the courage but since Owen's been here I have a new courage, a new strength, and I want to be a part of the world outside of this house. I don't know how I ever can, not with Mother still alive, she'll never let me leave. Even if I never do I have the yearning to, I feel alive in a way I never felt before, I feel liked and wanted in a way I never felt before and all because of Owen.

I dreamed of him last night, I dreamed that he kissed me and it was amazing. Then the kiss became more, so much more, we weren't wearing any clothes and we were touching each other everywhere. I woke up horny. When Alison, one of our chambermaids, came to wake me she commented how very flushed my cheeks were. A result of the dream I'm sure but I told her my blankets were too hot. Owen's the only true friend I've ever had and I'm wishing for more, or at least my subconscious is. I don't know if I truly feel about Owen the way I did in my dream or I only dreamed those things because Owen told me about them. Even if my feelings for Owen do run deeper than friendship I'm sure he would not return them. He is my friend I'm sure of that but I'm also sure that he thinks I'm some naïve child, I heard it in his tome yesterday when I asked what sex was, when I asked what anything was. And when he commented how sheltered I've been and how I don't know anything. It doesn't matter I'm grateful for his friendship and that alone has given me new hope and new life in my otherwise dreary existence.

I've read the braille book so many times I have each page memorized. I wish I had more braille to read, or that I could write it somehow. I tried with an antique hat pin from my grandmother's room, only it didn't turn out very well and I only ended up pricking my finger. I went riding today, even without Owen, Charlie got my tack for me and he showed me where it is so I can find it. I'm in the gazebo now and lying on the bench, but in my mind I'm at a football game. Owen told me all about football yesterday and I'm envisioning a game in my head with Owen playing, and all his friends too. Of course I only have their descriptions to picture them by but it's good enough. After picturing the football game I picture his school, what it would be like to go to a school, not that I ever could because I'm blind but Owen says there are special schools for blind kids like me.

I don't leave the gazebo until I feel the air getting colder and Storm whinnies in a way that I know it's after dark. I can also hear the bell in the distance, the bell that rings at the house when it's time for me to come home. I close the gazebo and go out to Storm, unhitching him, mounting up and riding back.

"You're running late, your mother wants you for dinner," Charlie warns me when I enter the stables.

"I know, I wasn't in a hurry to get back," I reply dismounting and I feel Charlie take the reins.

"I'll take care of Storm you'd better get in. I'll be gone all weekend but Owen will be here, he seems to be doing a good job," Charlie comments as he begins walking Storm to his stall.

"Owen does a wonderful job, the horses really like him," I tell Charlie. _"And so do I," _I add silently.

I say goodnight to Charlie and leave the stables walking back to the house. Niels finds me halfway there and of course he tells me I'm late too. Niels is the only member of the staff that is as cold as my mother, I'm certain he never smiles, I never hear it in his voice and he's never been nice to me or anyone else that I know of. In one of my audiobooks I learned about robots and I'm fairly convinced Niels is a robot because he never shows any emotion at all. He takes me back to the house by pushing at my shoulder to guide me, all the while telling me I shouldn't be out past dark because it isn't safe, as if it makes a difference in my world. Mother scolds me for being late and tells me to shower because I smell like the stables, and then she sends me to bed without dinner as punishment. I didn't hear the bell ringing for that long however mother insists it was ringing for over half an hour. I suppose I was rather caught up in my day dream.

In spite of Mother's punishment Roberto, our cook, sends a plate of dinner to my room. I smell it when I get out of the shower, lemon chicken, rice and vegetables. I eat listening to one of my favorite audio books, with headphones of course because Mother would take it if she found out. I go to bed after eating, knowing that Mother will come to check on me. I pretend I'm sleeping when she comes in the room but lie awake for hours thinking about Owen and his world, wishing I knew that world. When I do fall asleep I have another hot dream about Owen. I dream that he's naked in the gazebo and I'm naked with him, he's holding me on a bench under a blanket, we kiss and his hands caress over my skin. I wake up early with a big smile on my face, dressing for breakfast and take the smile from my face before going downstairs.

"I hate all this snow; I'm going to the spa today and meeting Evelyn. I won't be home until this evening, I might do some Christmas shopping is there anything you want?" Mom questions in a loud voice from her end of the table.

"New music would be nice," I reply. I would ask for audiobooks and braille books but Mom would deny the request and probably go rummaging through my room for audiobooks, and ask how I know about braille.

"Fine and Dad? Oh really Father is it necessary to drink at the breakfast table?"

"Yes Helen it is," Grandfather replies from his side of the table.

Mother makes an annoyed grunt and after that it's silent, after breakfast I return to my room until I hear Mother leave and then I change into my riding clothes. I put on my thick jacket and gloves since it's so cold outside and practically run to the stables. I'm sure it's after ten and Owen should be here. I enter the stables and begin walking toward Storm's stall and then I stop turning to the right. He's being very still and not even breathing but he can't hide his smell, not even around the horses.

"Good morning Owen," I smile.

"How do you do that?" He questions laughing a little.

"You smell a lot sweeter than the horses," I smile.

"I should hope so, should I get your tack?" Owen asks.

"I can get it Charlie showed me," I tell him.

"Okay well I need to get tack for Lollipop so I'll come with you, there's a lot of sharp objects in the tack room," Owen says. I know the stables end to end but have to feel my way to the tack room. Owen walks next to me but he doesn't lead me, he's just there. I find the tack room door and open it, remembering what Charlie said, four steps forward, turn to the left and two steps. I have my hands out and feel for my saddle, finding the blanket first. "You got it; can you carry all of it?" Owen queries.

"Yes I think so, this is my blanket and my saddle, my bridle is…" I stop feeling my way up the shelf until I find the bridle hanging, "right here. Oh I don't know where the boots are though Charlie didn't show me."

"I'll grab the boots," Owen tells me and I hear him getting tack for Lollipop. I reverse my directions to get out and find my way out the door but with my arms full I can't feel in front of me. "You're good straight ahead," Owen says and I smile.

We saddle the horses getting them ready to ride and then race to the gazebo. I win and Storm stops on instinct, I dismount and tie him to the hitching post just as Owen dismounts. He ties Lollipop while I start walking to the gazebo. I sit on the bench and pull the blanket over my legs, then remembering the dream I had I bite my lip.

"Are you okay? You're blushing," Owen comments.

"Oh…uh I'm just…cold," I stumble over a response because I can't tell him why I'm really blushing.

"It is really cold today, here," Owen says sitting with me, right next to me and he puts the other blanket over both of us.

"Umm thanks," I smile but the fact that he's so close and we're sharing a blanket isn't taking the dream from my mind.

"Welcome, here I got you a new book," he tells me and I hear him opening a zipper, must be on a backpack.

I hold my hands out for the book and he sets it in them, it's smaller in diameter than the last but it's a little thicker. I run my fingers over the book until I find the title and read it, my fingers feeling each letter.

"Favorite Nursery Rhymes," I read the title aloud.

"I know it's still a little kids book but you're still learning," Owen says in an apologetic tone.

"It's wonderful thank you I've been hoping for a new book," I grin turning my head, I can smell his breath, he had maple syrup with his breakfast and coffee. I grin and kiss his cheek gently, biting my lip as I pull away as the kiss itself reminds me of my dreams. This is bad I need to stop having those dreams.

"You're welcome, I'll buy you better books when you're better at reading the braille," he says and there's an inflection in his voice I've never heard before. It's a happy inflection though and it makes me smile.

I open the book and begin reading, Owen corrects me when I miss a word or don't read it right. Sometimes I feel his fingers behind mine reading the words with his hand. I read through the whole book with a grin, it's sort of funny reading a book for such young kids at my age and being so thrilled by it. It's not the silly rhymes, or the words but the fact that I can read them. After reading through the book I set it down and cuddle up under the blanket.

"How was your hockey game? You promised to tell me all about hockey," I remind him.

"So I did," he says and I hear the big smile on his lips. "The game was great, we won and I made both goals."

Owen goes on to tell me all about the fundamentals of hockey, how the game works and what each position does. When he's done my stomach growls and I realize it's time for lunch.

"I didn't think about bringing lunch," I remark.

"I did but it's back at the stables, I should get Lollipop back anyway. Do you have to eat inside?" Owen questions.

"No the kitchen staff will give me lunch, especially since Mother's gone for the day," I tell him.

"She is?" Owen asks.

"Yeah she hates the snow, she likes to shop and be at the spa or at the club with her friends," I reply.

"Well let's get these horses back, we can eat and I should probably take a few of the other horses out," Owen tells me pulling off the blanket and pulling me to stand. We leave the braille book in the gazebo and mount the horses riding them back to the stables. "I'll take care of the horses you get to the house and get some food," Owen says and I smile.

Dismounting from Storm I walk back to the house, feeling for the hedge that goes around to the kitchen. I knock on the exterior kitchen door; actually it's a sort of mud room I've been told but the kitchen staff still answers.

"Enjoy your ride Miss Clare?" Constance asks.

"Yes, I'm going back out again but my stomach tells me it's time for lunch," I reply.

"Indeed it is, come inside and get warm and I'll pack you some lunch," she tells me taking my arm to guide me inside. I stay at the edge of the kitchen but it's quite warm and I smell cookies baking. I'm there a few minutes before Constance puts a bag in my hand. "An apple, turkey and cheese sandwich, celery sticks and some fresh cookies for dessert. Here's a thermos of milk," she tells me putting it in my other hand.

"Thank you Constance," I grin and she takes back outside.

I have to hold the thermos under my arm to find the hedge back to the front of the house so I can find the stables. Owen's in Storm's stall and I walk over there.

"I just need to brush Storm down and we can eat in Charlie's office, it'll be more comfortable than the stables," Owen comments.

"I didn't know Charlie had an office," I reply.

"Yeah it's around back, I'll show you…I mean take you in a minute," he says.

I lean against the stall door and wait for Owen. When he comes out he takes my food and links his arm with mine. He takes me to Charlie's office, we put down the food and he guides me to a washroom to wash my hands. After he washes his he guides me to a chair and I sit down, it's quite warm in Charlie's office so I take off my coat and hear Owen sit down next to me. We're on a small, and old, sofa with a small table in front of us. I feel around for my bag and begin taking the food from it, I start eating the celery sticks and I can smell that Owen has a turkey sandwich like I do.

"So I was thinking about the fact that you've never been to a dance. We have one at school next week and now that I'm not going out with Anya I thought you could come with me," Owen says after several minutes of silence and I nearly choke on my celery.

"Mother won't let me," I shake my head with a sad voice.

"We won't tell her; Charlie writes down her schedule, she's supposed to be away that weekend. I'll sneak you out of the house; you can meet my friends and actually dance at a dance," Owen encourages.

"I wouldn't know what to wear, I don't know what any of my clothes look like," I respond. I very much want to go to the dance, but wanting to be a part of Owen's world and actually going into it are two different things. I find myself rather frightened at the prospect of actually going into the world outside our estate.

"Any dress or skirt and blouse, it doesn't matter. My friends want to meet you they won't care what you're wearing," he responds.

"What if we get caught?"

"Clare," Owen says taking my hand, "I'll be with you the whole time you don't have to be afraid."

"Okay I'll go with you, how do you plan on sneaking me out though?"

"You must know the nighttime routine of your house," he remarks with food in his mouth.

"Yes," I nod.

"Good tell me all about it and I'll know how to sneak you out," he responds.

"I can't believe we're really going to do this," I grin as my heart flutters with excitement at the thought of going to a high school dance.

"There's a whole world of experiences out there Clare and I'm going to make sure that you get them, your mother be damned."

**You know the nice thing about short story month is that you only have to wait until Saturday the 20****th**** for the update, which will probably start with them sneaking her out to go to the dance.**


	4. A Life I've Never Known

**Just a few more days on short story month from December 23****rd**** to January 4****th**** I will not be posting daily because of the holiday's. As I can get to them I will be posting Christmas chapters for storied that never made it to Christmas like Between Love & Darkness. How often I post and how many I'm able to post will depend on the time that I have.**

**Please see the DeGrassi Saviors website for the entire December and January schedule.**

**Ch. 4 A Life I've Never Known**

**(CLARE)**

I clutch my bag tightly as I tiptoe down the stairs in my sneakers. It's only eight and most of the house is still awake so I'm going through the old servant's stairway. It hasn't been used in over sixty years, now that the servants don't need to hide. There are back stairways and hidden corridors all over this house; I've discovered several in my exploration of the house. Owen's supposed to be waiting for me near the stables; he's taking me to the dance at his school. A real dance, not like the Christmas gala mother used to let me attend. I'm excited that I'll be around people, real people that aren't part of my staff and afraid of mother. People that aren't my mother or grandfather, people like Owen.

I find the doorway at the bottom of the stairs, the latch is stuck and I have to push at it to get it open. I feel the cold rush of ice air as soon as I open the door. After closing the door I feel my way around to the side of the house; from here I can find my way to the stables. Mother is in Key West for the weekend to escape the cold, she promised to bring me a present and said something about a benefit dinner for something or other. Quite honestly I don't listen very much when Mother talks any longer.

Grandfather fell asleep after drinking all day, as he usually does, and was taken to his bedroom and put to bed by Don one of the staff. Grandpa will sleep until morning and even if he did get up he wouldn't check on me. Alison already put me to bed and no one else will check on me until it's time to wake me in the morning. So Owen and I have all night, if they wouldn't call the cops in the morning if I was still missing then I might never come back.

"You're wearing a different cologne, this one has more of a leather and spicy scent," I grin as soon as I smell it in the air and know it's Owen.

"It's a special occasion, I wear this one on special occasions, although I'm pretty sure you're the only one that will notice. You can change at my house, everyone else is out," Owen tells me.

He takes my hand and escorts me to his car, he doesn't pull me or push me like everyone else, he holds me hand and walks with me. When we get to his car he opens the door for me. His car is high and he tells me it's an SUV, he has to help me in and then he closes the door and I find my seatbelt. Owen starts driving and my heart races, I haven't been off the grounds in over a year. Mother doesn't allow it for anything anymore she just wants to hide me. I ask Owen to describe what we're driving past as we drive and he tells me, since he told me about color I can see it all in my mind. He decides it's better if I change at the school since the dance has already started. He parks and I can hear loud music in the distance.

"We're around the side of the school, I'll take you through a back entrance and a private room so you can change," Owen tells me. He takes my bag and my hand helping me out of the car. We go through a door and into a building which must be the school. He takes me down a long hall; I hear our footsteps echoing in the empty hall. Then he tries some door handles until one opens, I hear him turn on the lights and close the door. "You can change in here, I promise not to look I'll turn my back and close my eyes," he says.

"I wouldn't know if you did look," I point out as I open my bag and begin pulling my stuff out.

"Yeah I know but I still won't look," he assures me and I can hear that he's turned his back.

I feel a small table or I suppose a desk next to me and I lay my dress on that. Slipping of my sneakers and socks, then out of my jeans, jacket and t-shirt, shivering a little in the cold air and only my bra and panties on I reach for my dress. It's soft and silky, I picked it not just because it's soft but because I was told it's red and ever since Owen described red to me it's been my favorite color. The dress slips on over my head, then I find my shoes, the only heels that I own and Mother told me they were black. I put my jeans, t-shirt, socks and sneakers into my bag setting it on the desk and lay my coat over it. Then running my fingers through my curls to make sure my hair isn't badly messed up or out of place and adjusting the dress a little since it feels crooked.

"You can turn around now," I tell Owen.

"Whoa," he exclaims.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing is wrong you look…great," Owen says and I smile.

"Is the dress okay? I chose it because it's red, it is red isn't it? Mother could have lied but my favorite color is red," I tell him.

"The dress is perfect, and it's red and you look amazing in it. Come on let's get to the dance, they'll kick everyone out in a couple of hours," Owen comments and he links his arm through mine.

We leave the room and he assures me that my things will be safe. He escorts me through more hallways and around corners but we're always getting closer to the music. After coming around one corner I hear voices, a lot of them but can only pick out a few words of various conversations. Several of them seem to be speculating about me and I tighten my grip on Owen.

"Hey Owen," says a voice. From the voice I know he's male and sounds a little younger than Owen. He's tall though and I tilt my head up slightly when he speaks.

"Hey Connor, here two tickets," Owen replies and I feel his body move as he hands Connor the tickets.

"I need your hands," Connor tells us.

Owen takes my hand and holds it out for Connor, then something wet yet sort of hard is pressed into my hand.

"It's a stamp so they know we paid to get in," Owen informs me and I nod.

"She doesn't know what a stamp is?" Connor questions and I bite my lip embarrassed and self-conscious.

"She's blind stupid," Owen responds and then we start walking again.

Owen opens a door and the music suddenly become overwhelming loud. The bass shakes the floor slightly and even with all the music there are dozens of loud conversations. I can't pick out any words but I can hear the chatter of so many loud voices. The loudest thing that ever happens at my house is Mother yelling and my hearing is sensitive. When I used to go to the doctor he once told Mother that my other senses would overcompensate for the fact that I can't see. I know it's supposed to be a dance but for me it's like walking into a stereo speaker on full blast that's playing music and dozens of talk radio stations all at once. I can smell so many perfumes and colognes and body odors it's overwhelming. Usually I use my other senses to kind of paint a picture of my surroundings but my senses are being overwhelmed and I can't paint a picture of anything. I grip Owen's arm tighter afraid to lose him in this sea of sound and smells.

"You okay?" Owen asks close to my ear so that I can hear him.

"It's loud, very loud and there's a lot of smells," I reply.

"Welcome to a high school dance, there's a lot of kids here and they play the music loud. Come on I see my friends," Owen tells me turning slightly and we start walking through the room. I make sure to keep a tight grip on Owen's arm so I don't lose him.

"Hey Owen," says a bright voice but one that's barely audible over the music. "You're Clare, it's nice to meet you I'm Adam," the boy says taking my hand gently and shaking it.

"You too," I smile. A new song comes on, it's has a slower tempo and softer beat making it easier to hear.

"This is Adam's brother Drew," Owen tells me and someone else takes my hand to shake it.

"Hey nice to meet you finally, Owen talks about you all the time," Drew informs me and I smile.

"This is Drew's girlfriend Bianca," Owen says as a girl with long nails takes my hand.

"It's good to meet you, I love your dress you look gorgeous," Bianca says.

"Thanks, I'm sure you look lovely too," I reply.

"She looks sexy as always," Drew speaks up and I grin at the love I hear in his voice for his girlfriend.

"And this is Fitz," Owen says as someone else takes my hand but instead of shaking it he kisses it.

"Owen was right you are very pretty," Fitz comments and I blush.

"Uh let's sit down," Owen remarks walking me forward a couple of steps and he directs me to sit on what I think is a bench. "You thirsty or hungry? There's punch and chips and stuff," Owen tells me.

"I'm a little thirsty," I reply feeling someone else sit next to me.

"Can you guys stay with her a minute while I go get us some punch?" Owen asks his friends.

"Yeah no problem," I hear Adam say from my left.

"I'll be right back," Owen comments and I nod.

"Owen told us you're like a prisoner in your house," I hear Drew remark from behind me and then someone hits him because he says, "ow."

"Forgive my brother he tends to talk before he thinks," Adam apologizes.

"That's okay it's the truth, Mother keeps me inside, more and more since I got older," I shrug.

"Yeah no offense but your mom sounds like a bitch," Fitz comments from the other side of Adam.

"Fitz does the same thing," Adam apologizes again and I smile.

"Adam can I see you?" I request.

"Umm isn't that kind of…"

"I mean can I feel your face, if I touch your face I can form a picture in my head," I explain.

"Oh right, uh yeah of course," he replies. I slowly move my hands up and he helps me find his face.

"You're cute," I grin when I'm done.

"Thanks," he smiles.

"Yeah Adam's a cute one," Owen remarks sitting next to me and putting a cup in my hand.

I start sipping at my punch and hear Bianca tell Drew she wants to dance. I feel them step down like on stairs, Owen tells me we're sitting on bleachers and then explains what they are. I'm nearly done with my punch when I hear two sets of high heels walking toward us, they sound determined and almost angry, sort of the way my mom walks.

"Is this her? You left me for that," snaps an angry voice that makes me jump.

"No Anya I left you because you were doing too many drugs. I'd introduce Clare to you two but I want her to know people are nice now vanish both of you," Owen says.

"I can't believe you brought that thing to our dance," Anya seethes and then she and her friend walk away.

"Ignore Anya she's just jealous," Fitz tells me and I nod while Owen takes my cup of punch.

"You want to dance?" Owen asks.

"It's a fast song I've hardly danced to the slow ones," I reply nervously.

"It's easy, come on we'll help you," Owen assures me.

"Dude I don't dance," I hear Fitz comment.

"Come help," Owen says and I feel Adam getting up. Owen takes my hands and pulls me up, he lets go of one hand and Adam takes it. We walk out into a big crowd of kids, I can feel Owen and Adam pushing at people to make way for us and we find a space to dance. The music is much louder over here; I grip Owen and Adam a little tighter out of instinct. "Okay you hear the music right so just sway to the beat," Owen instructs in a loud voice. I start to sway but it feels wrong somehow. "Hang on, hold onto Adam and Fitz," Owen tells me taking his hand from mine and then Fitz grabs it.

I worry about where Owen is going but I feel him move behind me. His hands come to my hips and he directs me, moving my hips with the music while Adam and Fitz pull my hands gently so that I sort of twist. I begin to enjoy myself and I smile. When the fast song ends a slow one comes on, Adam lets go of my hand and then Fitz does the same. Owen keeps one hand on my waist and moves in front of me. I reach my hand up putting it on his shoulder and he takes the other. We just sway side to side and step a little, sort of in a square.

"See you can dance," Owen says when the slow song ends and I smile.

"It was fun but can we sit down again it's very loud out here and there's so many people," I request.

"Yeah sure," Owen replies taking my hand. He walks a little ahead of me to push his way through the crowd. "It'll be quieter at the top of the bleachers, remember they're like stairs," Owen says putting my foot on the bottom one.

We start to walk up the bleachers, they're a little harder to navigate than steps and I almost trip a couple of times but Owen catches me. We make it to the top and sit down, I feel other people coming up the bleachers and then Adam sits next to me. Fitz, Bianca and Drew sit just below us, I know their scents now. We talk for a bit, I ask them a lot of questions about school and their families, a lot of stuff Owen has already told me but I'm getting a different perspective. Fitz and Drew bring us food and more drinks and then the group of us go back to the dance floor to dance.

"I need to use the washroom," I tell Owen when the song is over.

"I'll take her, I need to use the washroom too," Bianca says. "Stick with me honey I know every inch of this school," Bianca tells me linking her arm through mine. "EVERYONE GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY," she hollers making me jump a little but I hear people moving out of the way and I giggle.

"I like you, you're even better than Owen said," I smile at Bianca.

"So are you, honestly the way Owen talked I thought you'd be all awkward and I don't know kind of like a child. I guess just because you've been so sheltered, and what we've heard about you is how much of a bitch your mom is and how naïve you are. I knew you were hot and pretty but you're smarter than I expected," Bianca says.

"I didn't know Owen talked about me so much," I reply feeling a little self-conscious again.

"All the time, it's all good though don't worry," Bianca assures me.

"Bianca can I see you, feel your face so I know what you look like?" I request.

"Sure," she says stopping and turning to me. She still has hold of one of my hands and puts it to her face; I reach up with my other hand. I feel around and catch her hair, it's hard not to she seems to have a lot of thick curls.

"You're beautiful and I love your hair, black if I believe Owen told me," I grin as we start walking again.

"Yep black and curly, a whole lot of curls. Here's the washroom," she tells me pushing a door open and we walk through. "Here's a stall, the toilet's a couple steps ahead of you, just turn around. And here's the lock when you get in close the door and slide this to the right," Bianca instructs putting my hand on the lock.

I thank her and do just as she said; I find the toilet and sit down, go pee and feel around for the toilet paper, it seems to be in a funny plastic holder. When I'm done I find the flusher and feel for the lock sliding it to the left and going through the door.

"Bianca?" I call into the washroom and it echoes.

"Still here, the sinks are about six or seven steps ahead of you," she tells me.

I put my hands out and feel ahead of me for the sinks, I find one and feel around for the faucet. I get the water on and hear Bianca flush; she tells me the soap is to the left. I hear Bianca wash her hands and she rips what sounds like paper handing some to me explaining that I'm supposed to dry my hands.

"Uh oh," Bianca nearly whispers when I hear the washroom door open again. I'm about to ask what it is and then I hear a voice.

"Owen doesn't care about you you know, he goes through a lot of girls and you're just the latest flavor," Anya tells me in a haughty voice.

"Shut up Anya, if you weren't such a cokehead you could have kept Owen," Bianca says in a sharp tone. "Come on let's get you back to the dance, you're much too hot in that dress to hide out in the washroom all night," Bianca comments linking her arm through mine and we quickly leave the washroom.

**(OWEN)**

"Clare's great, too bad her mom's a bitch," Fitz comments after the girls go to the washroom.

"Yeah no kidding, her mom's terrible and treats Clare like she's stupid and deformed. She tells Clare all the time that she's ugly and worthless and will always be dependent on her so she can never leave," I tell them shaking my head.

"Too bad she can't come to school here, she's cool. A little naïve like you said but she's sweet," Drew comments.

"Hey Owen who's the new chick on your arm?" Julian questions coming over with a few more guys on the football team, K.C. is with Jenna and Julian with his girl.

"Clare Edwards I work for her family," I tell them.

"She's the blind chick? Dude she's hot," Julian smiles.

"Hey the girls are back," Fitz comments pointing to the girls by the bleachers and we walk over to them.

"You wanna dance some more?" I ask Clare and she shakes her head. "What's the matter?"

"Anya was being a bitch in the washroom," Bianca informs me.

"Don't listen to Anya; you want to meet some more people?" I offer.

"Sure I guess," she responds. I take her hand and walk her back to the football players, pushing our way through people.

"Clare this is Julian and K.C. they're on the football team with me, and this is Jenna and Kenya their girlfriends," I introduce them.

"Hey good to meet you," Julian says extending his hand.

"She can't see your hand dummy," I remind him.

"Right sorry," he apologizes.

"It's nice to meet you Clare I really like your dress," Jenna tells her.

"Thanks it's nice to meet you too," Clare smiles.

"So what school do you go to?" K.C. inquires and Clare bites her lip.

"She doesn't," I answer.

"It's hot in here I'm thirsty again," Clare speaks up.

"Let's get some punch then," I reply and turn her so we can walk to the food table. We go over and I have her stand next to me while I pour some punch into a glass and hand it to her. I turn to grab a water bottle in case she gets thirsty after the punch.

"Owen?" She asks nervously feeling for me.

"Right here," I assure her taking her hand.

"It's loud, there's too many smells," she complains again.

"Sorry, we can go back up the bleachers," I offer and she nods. It's now that I hear other kids whispering about her, Anya and Holly J must be spreading rumors. "Ignore them, kids talk, they don't know anything," I tell Clare. She nods again but she's biting her lip.

I have her by the hand and I'm pushing my way through people but suddenly her hand is ripped from mine. I hear Clare gasp and then say oof as she falls on her butt and her punch spills, thankfully none on her it all goes on the floor. She was bumped into, or bumped into someone, Chantay apparently.

"Watch where you're going stupid girl you got punch on me," Chantay barks at Clare.

"She can't see where she's going Chantay she can't see anything she's blind. Your perfume alone probably overwhelmed her," I snarl back and help Clare to stand. "Are you okay?" I inquire.

"What the hell is a blind girl doing at our school anyway," Chantay hisses in response.

"She's my date now back off Chantay," I spit at her.

"Owen I think I'd like to go home now," Clare requests.

"What's the matter?" I question.

"Thanks for brining me to the dance but I don't belong here, Mother was right I shouldn't be in your world," Clare says and she's almost in tears.

I pull her quickly into a corner and face her, "No your mother is wrong Clare. Look maybe bringing you to a high school dance wasn't the best idea for your first time out. There's a lot of people and it's really loud, and kids can be cruel. Please don't go home yet, stay with me a little longer, we can leave the dance and go somewhere quitter."

"Okay but let's leave the dance please I don't belong here, everyone's talking about me and Anya hates me," Clare says.

"Anya thinks I left her to date you, Anya's done so many drugs it's killed her brain. Everyone is talking about you because you're hot and new," I tell her and she smiles a little.

"You're sweet but I can pick out some of the conversations, my eyes don't work but my ears are very good. They don't want me here or they're speculating about me," she says.

"I keep forgetting, let's get out of here, it's almost over anyway," I insist and link my arm through Clare's to walk her to the auditorium door. I take her back to the classroom and we grab her stuff, she gets her jacket on before we go outside and I take her to my car. I drive us to The Dot and park sending a text to Fitz that we're there and he and the others can join us. Then I go around and help Clare out of the car, I take her hand and walk her to the front door. "This is The Dot, the café near school where we all hang out," I inform Clare opening the door.

"It smells like coffee, hot chocolate and sugar cookies," Clare grins as we walk in.

"Freshly baked, hey Owen," Peter says from behind the counter.

"Hi Peter, this is Clare Edwards I work for her family and she was my date to the dance. Only Anya kind of ruined it," I comment.

"Nice to meet you Clare, so what'll it be?" Peter asks.

"I don't have any money," she says timidly.

"I got it; you want coffee, tea or hot chocolate?" I question and she smiles again.

We order from Peter and sit at a table just as Drew, Bianca, Fitz and Adam come in. They order too and join us at the table.

"That dance was lame anyway," Bianca remarks as she sits down.

"Dancing was fun but not everyone is as nice as you guys," Clare says.

"Kids are mean, they like putting other people down, especially anyone that's different," Adam comments.

"They'll stop eventually, no one makes fun of Adam anymore," Drew speaks up just as Peter and another waiter bring our food and drinks.

We stay at The Dot for an hour, talking with my closes friends. Clare talks a lot with Adam, about being different in their family, knowing they're different and then about books. Some of Clare's favorite books, either read to her or audio books she heard, are Adam's favorite as well. This is the most time she's been in a normal environment with normal kids and she looks happy, a few other kids come in but no one says anything about Clare. When it's close to midnight though I figure I'd better get Clare home.

"It's nearly midnight I should get you home," I tell Clare.

"Is it that late already? It doesn't seem like it I have to go; it was nice meeting everyone and dancing. I understand why Owen likes you all so much, I wish I had friends like you," Clare comments standing up from her chair.

"You do, we're your friends too now Clare," Adam says standing up and hugging her.

"Yeah maybe Owen can sneak you out again, there's a lot more places we can show you. Ones without Anya," Drew remarks hugging Clare after Adam.

"He meant places we can take you," Bianca corrects hugging Clare after Drew.

"See you soon Clare," Fitz says hugging Clare and then I link my arm with hers and take her out to my SUV.

I help her in and start driving; she talks all about my friends and the dance on the drive back. I park down the driveway and walk Clare to the house, around to the back and help her find the door to the secret staircase.

"Even if you never sneak me out again for a taste of your world tonight was great. The dance was a little overwhelming and some of the people weren't pleasant, but hanging out with your friends at The Dot was great. For once I felt entirely normal and liked, and not like a freak or a fragile child," she tells me after opening the door.

"I'm glad that's what I was hoping for, I'm sorry the dance was a little much and for Anya just in general. I'll sneak you out again; our friends will want to see you again. I'm working all day tomorrow so I'll be here by ten," I comment.

"Then I'll be waiting," Clare says with a smile and I turn to go but she catches my arm and I look back at her. "I really enjoyed dancing too," she says then lets go of me to go inside.

I grin and walk back to my car leaving through the gate. It wasn't exactly the night that I planned but Clare did have a good time and that's what I wanted. While driving home I think about how to deal with Anya, and also what to do with Clare the next time I sneak her out.

**Next update will be Friday January 16****th**** and will include Christmas and possibly Owen sneaking Clare out again.**


	5. Somewhere You Feel Free

**So last night I uploaded my 99****th**** story! I'll reach 100 at the end of this month I feel like there should be some celebration. I hope there isn't a limit as to how many stories you can upload because that would not be good for me.**

**Ch. 5 Somewhere You Feel Free**

**(OWEN)**

"I wasn't sure you'd be here today," Clare's voice draws my attention away from the horse I'm brushing down.

"I told you I would be, I have a shift today and the horses need to be fed and given exercise," I reply grinning at her but she can't see it of course. None the less she smiles and I think that she can sense I'm smiling at her.

"Yes but it's Christmas I thought you'd be with your family today," she says.

"I spent the morning with them and we'll have dinner tonight but they knew I had to work and I wanted to be here. Besides you're out here and not with your family," I point out as I finish brushing Powder Keg.

"I don't like my family, we opened gifts last night and my grandfather is drinking himself to unconciousness. My mother left this morning; she is going to spend Christmas at the club and won't return until late tonight. She may even spend the night," Clare replies.

"You want to ride to our spot?" I ask her and she smiles.

"Yes very much," she says.

I take her arm and walk her to the tack room, she gets most of her tack and I get the rest. I also get the tack for Sundancer, we go back to the stables and get the horses ready then we ride. We tie the horses and I take my pack from Sundancer, I follow Clare into the gazebo and open the windows but get under the blankets and sit next to her so we have body heat. There's no electricity in here or I would have brought a heater, we do keep those instant hand warmers in stock and I brought some more blankets.

"Did you get anything nice for Christmas?" Clare asks.

"Yeah, got some music I wanted, some new clothes, some gift cards and sports equipment I wanted. Did you get anything nice? Assuming your mom actually got you Christmas presents," I comment and Clare giggles.

"Yes we had gifts; I got a lot of clothes from Mother and some new classical music. Grandfather gave me some new books on tape this morning after Mother left," she replies.

"Well I have one more gift for you," I tell her pulling it from the bag and putting it in her hands.

Clare unwraps it and feels the object; it's a book, a novel in braille. She's still learning a bit but she knows this book already.

"The Outsiders I love this book, well I love the audiobook," she grins running her fingers over the title.

"I know I remembered you saying so, I thought since you already knew the book and it's a pretty easy read it would be good," I tell her.

"I love it Owen thank you," she smiles and kisses my cheek, "I wish I had something for you."

"Don't worry about it, are you sure that your mom will be gone tonight?" I ask her.

"Yes she always is why?"

"You want to come to my house for Christmas dinner after my shift? We could maybe get together with Adam and the others at afterward," I tell her.

"That would be great but are you sure your family won't mind?" I question.

"No I'm certain they won't and I know they want to meet you," I reply and she smiles a little wider.

"Then I'd love to come with you," she says.

I smile and we spend a little more time in the gazebo, she reads out loud from the book to me. Then we return to the horses and ride back to the stables. Clare stays in the stables for most of my shift and talks to me while I work.

"I don't want to meet your family sweaty and smelling like horses. I'm going to take a shower and change, I'll meet you back here before the end of your shift," Clare tells me when I have an hour left in my shift.

I tell her okay and watch her walk out of the stables then I get back to work. I finish up and put everything away, when I walk out of the stables Clare is walking toward me. She's wearing black skinny jeans and scarlet ankle boots; she has a thick white jacket on with the hood up. I grin at her and take her arm walking her to my SUV helping her in and I drive us to my house. I grab my bag and run around to open the door and help her out, she links her arm with mine and I walk her to the door unlocking it with my key.

"Owen your home good, and this must be Clare, I'm Owen's mother Samantha," my mom says coming over and taking Clare's hand in both of hers. "It's wonderful to meet you finally, Owen talks about you all the time," Mom says and my cheeks go a little red which I'm glad Clare can't see but I do see her smile.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Owen talks about his family often. I do hope I'm not imposing, Owen invited me for Christmas dinner," Clare says a little nervously.

"No Dear you're not imposing at all, there's plenty of food and we'd love to have you. Owen you smell atrocious go and shower," Mom scolds and Clare giggles.

"I'll be out shortly, you're safe here," I assure Clare and let her go leaving her with my mom.

I go back to my room grabbing clean clothes and then go to the washroom I share with Tris to shower. I do so quickly and after dressing, combing my hair and stuff I return to the living room and hear Clare giggling; Tris seems to be entertaining her. She's sitting on the sofa and he's telling her a story about me when I was younger. She's taken her coat off and I see she's wearing a scarlet sweater that matches her boots and looks great on her.

"Tris has been keeping you amused I take it?"

When she hears my voice Clare turns her head in my direction, I love her smile it makes her glow. I grin just at the sight of her smile and I love the way her eyes glisten when she smiles, even if she can't see from her eyes.

"Yes he's a wonderful story teller, he was telling me about a trip to the zoo when he was ten and you were thirteen," Clare says.

"Oh yeah I wasn't too bright back then," I reply scratching the back of my neck as I remember that trip.

"You're a good brother and very brave," Clare responds and I grin.

"Dinner is ready, Owen please help Clare to the table she'll sit next to you," Mom speaks up from the kitchen.

The table is already set Dad must have done it while I was in the shower. I walk over and take Clare's hand pulling her up from the sofa and escort her to the table. I pull her chair out and direct her to sit in in it; I sit down next to her while Mom, Dad and Tris bring the food to the table. I tell Clare that we have turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, scalloped potatoes, sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables, she asks for a little of everything. I put it on her plate. My family watches as she slowly moves her hand to the table and feels her silverware and napkin. She picks up her fork and leaning toward the plate she smells the food, picks up her knife and starts cutting her turkey knowing just where it is.

"How did you know your turkey was there?" Tris asks her.

"By the smell, I don't have my eyes but I've learned to compensate with my other senses pretty well," Clare replies.

"And Owen tells us that you do very well especially while riding," Dad comments.

"I love riding," Clare grins and takes a bite of food. "This is delicious you are a great cook Samantha," Clare says after swallowing.

"Thank you Clare, you must get good food at home, I'm sure your family employs good chefs," Mom remarks.

"Yes our kitchen staff makes very good food, they make all of Mother's favorites, she likes French food. This is good in a different way it's…homey, this whole meal, I'm not used to eating this way," Clare comments.

"Oh how are you used to eating?" Mom inquires.

"Well when I don't dine alone in my room our dining table is very large it can seat a dozen people but it's only ever me, Mother and Grandfather. We eat mostly in silence and when there is conversation Mother dominates it," Clare replies.

"And what about the rest of your home life Dear? Owen said you don't go to school and when you're not spending time in the stables with him what do you do?" Mom asks.

"Well I wander the grounds a lot; listen to audio books when my mother is away. Sometimes I talk to the staff, they're kind to me. Sometimes I talk to my grandfather if he's not too drunk. I ride to the gazebo a lot even when Owen isn't working and that's about it," she says.

"And you're Mom is totally opposed to you going to school?" Dad queries.

"Yes she said I couldn't go to school because of my deformity. She's told me for as long as I can remember that I was ugly and deformed and could never be anything. That I will always live with her and must be kept in the house because I'm ugly and deformed and will always be dependent on her," Clare answers in a sad tone.

"That's just awful, how could a mother say such things to her child. How could a mother shape her child to think that way," Mom exclaims angrily.

"You're not ugly or deformed, you have a disability and you can do anything," I affirm and Clare grins at me.

"I know that now but only because of you," she grins.

"Owen's right there are many options for blind people and schools especially for them. Have you given any thought to what you want to do when you grow up if given the option?" Mom asks her.

"I would like to write I think, if I can write in braille. Thanks to Owen I just recently learned braille, I'm still learning but I didn't know any before Owen came. When my grandmother was alive she would read to me and I've listened to many audio books, before Owen all I had was those and my imagination and I've made so many places in my imagination. I don't know how I'd write though, I'm still learning braille, I tried to write some braille a couple of weeks ago using a hat pin and I pricked my fingers," Clare tells us.

"I'm sure there are things blind people use to write, you should pursue it Clare, I think you'd be a wonderful writer. You said your mother has always been like that, what about your grandparents?" Mom inquires.

"Even my grandparents fear my mom; they did fight her on some things. When my grandma was alive we would go to Italy, she would read to me and take me out to some places. They told me I wasn't ugly like Mother would tell me but they couldn't fight her on many things and didn't win many fights. Then my grandmother became ill, she had cancer and battled it for three years. She became more sick and frail and she and my grandfather stopped arguing with my mom about anything. Not just me but how to run the house, the horses, everything. When my grandmother died it killed my grandfather too, he's still alive but only physically. His spirit died when Grandma died and now he spends his days drinking himself to a stupor."

We talk a little more about Clare's home life before I change the subject. Clare eats in silence while we talk about New Year's, my brother wanting to join a drama class and other things. After dinner I take Clare to the sofa and sit with her while they clean up and get dessert ready. Clare is happy the whole time we're at my house, her smile never entirely leaving her face. She's never had pumpkin pie, which we have for dessert, and she loves it devouring two pieces. While helping Mom clean up I text Adam and tell him I'm with Clare and she wants to see everyone. He says to come over and that Bianca is there and he'll see if anyone else can come over.

"Adam says to come over, we can hang out for a while before I have to take you home," I tell Clare.

"Thank you for having me I had a great time," Clare says.

"It was our pleasure Clare you're welcome any time," Mom tells her.

Tris hugs her and she says goodbye to my dad, I get her coat for her and we leave for Adam's house. I park out front and see Fitz's car here, helping Clare out I walk her to the basement and open the door. When everyone greets her she jumps a little, Adam comes over and hugs her, taking her to the sofa and she sits down. We hang out for a while; she talks with everyone and hears about their Christmases.

"I better get you home before they notice you're missing," I comment when it's nearing ten.

"Is it that late already?" Clare asks.

"Actually you'll know the time yourself now, we got you a Christmas present," Adam tells her and hands her a small wrapped box. She unwraps it and feels the small box, finds the opening and feels inside. "It's a watch," Adam explains taking it out and placing it on her wrist. "If you press this button here it tells you the time," Adam says and presses the button then we hear a voice announce that it's nine-forty two pm.

"Thank you I love it," Clare smiles hugging Adam and then Drew since the brothers bought her the gift.

"You're welcome Merry Christmas Clare, hopefully Owen can sneak you out again soon," Adam remarks and I nod.

"Come on I'll get your coat and I'll sneak you out soon, maybe we can manage a whole day," I remark and Clare smiles brightly at this idea. I stand her up and help her up, walking her back toward the coat closet.

"Hey Owen you're under the mistletoe," Drew calls stopping us in our tracks.

"What's mistletoe?" Clare asks, sometimes I forget how sheltered she's been and how naïve she is.

"It's a plant, it's a tradition that when two people are under it they kiss," I inform Clare.

"Oh," she replies slowly.

"We don't have to, it's silly," I tell her.

"Dude kiss her or I'm going over there and I'll kiss her," Fitz calls over and everyone's watching us. I know she can't see it but I'm sure she can sense it.

Putting my fingers under her chin I tip her face up and gently place my lips on hers. I feel her smile and I start to part my lips but Drew and Fitz start hooting and whistling so I pull away.

"Come on let's get you home, if they find you missing I might never be able to sneak you out again," I say taking Clare's hand.

I get her coat from the closet and help her get it on, I get mine and take her arm to escort her out. Everyone calls goodbye and we go out to my SUV, I help her in and go around to the driver's side. She's silent on the way home, she's sad, she doesn't want to go back and I wish I didn't have to take her. I park at the end of the driveway and we trek to the stables so she can find her way to the house again.

"I'll be back tomorrow, I'll come early," I tell her and hear the bell at the house ringing which means she's supposed to come back.

"Thanks Owen tonight was wonderful, the best Christmas I've ever had," she smiles kissing my cheeks.

"Miss Clare," I hear someone calling.

"You'd better hide out back, if they know I was with you they might tell Mother," she says.

I leave her and hide behind the stables, when she knows I'm gone she calls to them and starts walking for the door. A minute later I hear two people rushing in and over to Clare.

"Miss what are you doing out here? We already looked out here and didn't see you?" A woman scolds.

"I was wandering, I was bored I'm allowed to wander," she replies with a slightly annoyed tone.

"It's too cold to be out this late, you could have fallen in the snow. I'll make you some tea and you can take a hot bath before bed," says a man.

I wait until I'm sure they're gone and go back to my SUV to drive home. I wish there was a way I could get her out of this house for good. The staff is nice and possibly even a little nurturing but she's still treated like she's an idiot or a small child and they don't love her. Her family has all the money in the world but Clare's world is cold and lonely because she doesn't have love and everyone is too afraid of her mother to do anything to help her.

**(CLARE)**

"I'll be going to the New Year's ball and staying at the club, you should be in bed early Clare," Mom informs me at dinner.

"Helen it's New Year's Eve let the child stay up," Grandfather says loudly from his end of the table.

"What for? There will be no celebration at the house and even if we owned a TV she couldn't see the fireworks. Besides you'll drink yourself to sleep and pass out long before midnight, be silent and eat your dinner," Mother snaps.

"Couldn't I come to the party Mother? Or one of the staff could drive me to Toronto to h…"

"Don't be absurd you know you can't leave the house, I keep you hear for your own protection Clare you know that. People can be so cruel and your deformity is hideous to people, do you think the staff would be so kind to you if I didn't pay them?"

The room goes silent after this, we even eat quietly and as soon as my grandfather has finished his food he excuses himself. I only eat a few more bites and then ask to be excused. I go up to my room and change from dinner to a pair of riding pants and a blouse, setting my boots and jacket where I can easily grab them. Packing a change of clothes into a bag and setting it by my boots. Then turn out my light and get in bed, I read The Outsiders and check the time on my watch continually as I wait anxiously for my mother to leave. _"The current time is eight…twenty…three…pm,"_ my watch tells me in a mechanical like voice which speaks slowly and pauses between the words. Mother would probably take the watch if she ever saw it so I keep it hidden. When I hear footsteps approaching I lie down and pull up the covers so it looks like I'm sleeping. Someone opens the door and closes it, then my door is locked with the key so it must be Mother since she's the only one with the key. I hear her walk down the hall and I wait a few moments before quietly getting out of bed. Putting on my boots and my coat then grabbing my bag, Owen's meeting me tonight and a locked door won't stop me.

Ever since our kiss at Christmas my stomach fills with butterflies and my heart beats fast, my palms get sweaty and I have the urge to mash our lips together again whenever I'm near him. I have a hopeless crush, I know I do. I know Owen is a good friend and he cares for me but I don't think he cares about me the way I wish he did. I'm fairly certain he sees me as a sister, if not a sister then a very sheltered and naïve child. Oh well my crush will continue to go unrequited but as long as I have Owen in my life at all I'm happy. He's opened me to so much, I wouldn't know the world away from our estate at all if not for him. I wouldn't have other friends, real friends like Adam and Fitz if not for Owen. He hasn't been able to sneak me away all week because Mother's been around, and done her best to keep me from riding. Tonight however I knew that she would attend her party and would not let me go so I arranged to meet with Owen.

My door might be locked but as I've had little to do other than explore this estate my entire life I know there're a secret door in my closet. It leads to a passage that will take me to the kitchen, the hard part will be sneaking through the kitchen and outside. Until now I've never needed the passage for anything but sneaking down to get midnight snacks. I find the latch and open the door, it shuts behind me and I walk the passage. It's dusty and musty, I hear creatures and feel cobwebs, when I hear a mouse squeak I go a little faster but trip on something and fall in the dirt, my hand hits a rock or something else sharp and I whimper in pain. Standing myself up I press my watch, it's after 8:30 I'm late, I continue ignoring the sting in my hand and wipe it on my pants. When I reach the hidden panel leading into the kitchen I pause and listen. Usually the kitchen staff is done by now, sometimes they're preparing things for the following day though. When I hear no sounds in the kitchen I open the panel and step through. It closes behind me and I feel in front of me for the door, I almost fall again when I bump the freezer but I find the door and go out, and then I run to the stables.

"Owen?" I call somewhat anxiously worried that he might have left when I was late.

"I'm here," he says putting his hand on my shoulder and I turn to smile at him.

"Sorry I'm late," I apologize.

"It's okay let's go you can change there," Owen tells me linking his arm with mine and walking me to his SUV. He opens the door and helps me in but then his hand brushes over a spot on my thigh. "Clare is that blood on your pants?"

"Mother locked me in my room so I had to take the passage from my closet to the kitchen. I fell and I guess I cut my hand," I say showing him my palm.

"Hang on I have a first aid kit in the back, it doesn't look too bad," he says in a kind voice but I hear him muttering how my mom is a bitch as he walks to the back. I hear another door open and then close, Owen comes back and I hear a little plastic box open. He holds my hand and cleans it with something that stings causing me to hiss. "Sorry I wanted to clean it so it wouldn't get infected, I'll need to wrap it in gauze because a regular bandage won't stay," he tells me and then starts wrapping something around my palm.

"Thanks," I smile when he's done. I hear some more noises and he goes around getting in the driver's side of the car.

"No problem, how many passages does your house have?" Owen asks.

"I've found seven but I suppose there could be more. The one from my room to the kitchen, except I can't use it when the kitchen staff is in. There's the servants staircase at the back of the house, it goes from the servant's quarters to the top the floor. A small passage from my Grandparents room to the library and one from grandfather's study to the library. They run all over the house, it's an old house but only a few them lead outside or to rooms that go outside, most lead to hidden rooms or are back corridors that the servants used back when they weren't meant to be seen."

"Cool," Owen remarks and I hear the grin on his lips. "Everyone's excited to see you tonight, it's just a small party at Adam and Drew's so it shouldn't be as overwhelming as the dance but if it's too much just tell me and we can leave," Owen says and I nod.

The drive takes a while since we live outside of Toronto, when Owen parks he runs around to help me out and I grab my bag. As we get closer to the house I hear the music going and kids talking.

"Hey you guys made it," Adam comments hugging me when we go through the door.

"She needs to change," Owen tells him over the music.

"I got her, come on Clare you can change upstairs," Bianca says taking my hand. We have to make our way through the crowd and I bump into a few people. When we reach the stairs she tells me to step up, we go up ten steps and reach another floor and walk through this when she tells me to step up again. After ascending a second staircase we turn to the left and she pulls me into a room. "This is Drew's room," she informs me and takes my bag. "What did you do to your hand?" She asks and I explain about tripping in the passage as I begin getting my clothes out.

Knowing we were going to be indoors I packed clothes that aren't very warm. A dress with half sleeves and a deep neck line, the top is stiff but the bottom is soft and silky, it's one of my dinner dresses. I begin changing and I know Bianca's still in the room with me but I don't mind if she watches me change. There was a time when I didn't even like the maids to see me change or help me even when they needed to. I didn't like it because I believed myself to be a monster, hideous and deformed like Quasimodo or the Elephant Man but I know that isn't true now.

"Can you zip the dress please?" I request of Bianca and she comes over taking the zipper. "Does it look okay? I can't remember what color this dress is," I comment as she finishes zipping the dress and turns me around.

"It looks great, the top is sort of ice blue which brings out your eyes, and the neckline accentuates your bust. The skirt is black, what shoes do you have?" Bianca questions but I hear her reaching into my bag to find out for herself. "Black ones, these will go perfectly, here sit on the bed," she remarks directing me onto Drew's bed and she puts the shoes in front of me so I can get them on.

I hear her walking across the room, she comes back and sits a chair in front of me. I hear her digging through what I believe to be her purse and then her hand rests on my cheek.

"What are you doing?" I question.

"Putting some makeup on you, I'll keep it light don't worry but you have beautiful eyes and they should be accentuated, now look up," she instructs. She tells me what she's doing as she does it, she puts mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow on my eyes, bronzer on my cheeks and lipstick on my lips. "The lipstick is red which will draw attention to your lips," she says putting her makeup back in her bag.

"What's Owen wearing tonight?" I inquire as I stand.

"Black jeans and his leather jacket but I don't know what shirt he's wearing. You like him don't you?" Bianca asks taking my arm as we leave the room.

"Yes," I nod.

"Have you ever done anything on New Year's before, do you know what happens at midnight?" Bianca queries stopping on the next floor.

"I know there's fireworks but I've always been at home on New Year's Eve," I reply.

"There are fireworks, we'll be watching the countdown on TV, well you'll be listening but anyway couples kiss at midnight. You should kiss Owen," Bianca says.

"I don't think he likes me back," I argue as she opens the door to take us down to the bottom level and the party.

"Trust me just kiss him and don't be timid about it," Bianca asserts.

When we get to the bottom of the stairs I feel someone take me from Bianca, it's not Owen though I know his touch.

"You look beautiful, Owen's this way," Adam tells me and I smile.

Bianca leaves us and Adam links his arm with mine walking me through the crowd. A few people say hi as we go through the crowd, I recognize their voices from the dance but don't remember their names so I simply say hello.

"Wow," Owen says when we reach him and I grin wider. "Bianca did your makeup I see, it looks…you look…"

"Amazing is the word he's searching for," Fitz says and I giggle.

"Yeah amazing is a good word, just don't go too far from me, there are some single guys here and they might try and kiss you at midnight," Owen comments.

"We'll keep an eye on her," Adam speaks up.

We stay at this end of the room most of the night, the boys talk but I don't say much. They're mostly talking about sports so I don't have much to say, they include me in the conversation sometimes.

"Hey time for the countdown," Adam says loudly and someone turns off the music.

Owen puts his hand on my back and walks me back a few feet. I hear a different noise now, someone talking that isn't here so someone must have turned on the TV. A man is announcing that the New Year is just moments away. I grip Owen's shirt as people crowd around, presumably to see the TV, Owen puts his hand at my lower back and I bite my lip. I know Adam and Fitz are right next to us by feel and smell, Adam uses a deodorant with a cinnamon smell and Fitz's aftershave has citrus in it.

"Ten," people begin counting so I join in, "nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one." I stand on my tiptoes and smash my lips to Owen's just as everyone else says, "Happy New Year!"

Owen puts his other arm around me and presses me to him, his lips parting his tongue slides out and across my bottom lip. I open my mouth on instinct and when I do his tongue glides into my mouth. I inhale taking in Owen's breath with mine, gripping his shirt a little tighter I place my other hand on his chest. Owen's tongue caresses mine, my body tingles and I feel like electricity is coursing through me. I wish we never had to break the kiss; I want to stay this way forever. We can't of course and when we get bumped into Owen and I pull apart.

"That was quite the New Year's kiss," Fitz comments.

"Yeah," Owen exhales and I giggle.

We don't talk about the kiss but we stay at the party for a while longer however when other people begin to leave Owen decides to take me home. Part of me expects him to ask me about the kiss or say something but he doesn't, the whole drive back to my estate we listen to the radio and talk a little about people that were at the party. He parks at the very end of my driveway so no one hears the car and I expect him to walk me to the house or the stables.

"Show me where the passage is," Owen requests when he helps me out of the car.

"We have to go through the kitchen, take me to the side of the house I can find the door," I tell him. He walks me to the house and I feel my way around to the kitchen side door. "You come through here, and go past the freezer into the pantry, push this panel," I instruct and the panel opens revealing the passageway.

"Let me go first I'll let the way with my phone," Owen says and I give him a look. "I know you can't see it but I don't want you to fall again," he explains so I let him go first. He holds my left hand with one hand and his phone with the other I assume. "Okay we're at a dead end I assume there's a door or something?" Owen questions stopping when we reach the end of the passage.

"There's a lever, a small one on a board of wood to the right," I tell him. I hear the door opening when he finds it; my closet was left open so he steps through to my room.

"It's dark in here," he comments when we go in.

"I wouldn't know it's always dark for me. The staff shouldn't be up here but you should keep your voice down," I warn him.

"Sorry," he whispers, "there isn't much in your room but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Well I know how to get in your room now which is good."

"It is?"

"Yeah in case your mom locks you in the room again, and so I can come see you when I'm not working," Owen says slowly.

"Yeah that is good," I nod.

"Plus I can do this," he comments and his hands cup my face as he abducts my lips for a kiss.

I'm shocked and stop breathing for a second before I begin kissing him back, my arms go around his neck and my lips part for him. This kiss is even more sensuous than the last, more passionate and we stay locked in it until we need to pull away to take a breath.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He asks when our lips part.

"Yes," I reply with a gleeful grin and then it fades, "but we can't tell my mother or anyone that works here including Charlie."

"I wasn't planning on it, but we can tell my family and friends. I should probably go I have to be here at ten for work tomorrow," he tells me.

"I'll be waiting in the stables," I reply and he kisses me again, saying goodnight before leaving through the secret passage.

I spin around with a huge smile on my face, I feel like I could fly! Owen is my boyfriend, we've kissed and I couldn't be happier. I feel beautiful, special and so happy I could burst. I dance to bed but I'm much too excited to sleep, instead I lie awake and think of Owen, my boyfriend.

**Update Thursday February 12****th**** starting likely with the next day and including Adam coming to the Edwards estate and possibly Clare's birthday.**


End file.
